Health Encyclopedia

Folic acid (folate)

Definition

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin. It is water-soluble, which means it cannot be stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine. That means you need a continuous supply of the vitamin in your diet.

Alternative Names

Vitamin B9; Folate; Diet - folic acid; Pteroylglutamic acid

Function

Folic acid works along with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to help the body break down, use, and create new proteins. The vitamin helps form red blood cells and helps produce DNA, the building block of the human body, which carries genetic information.

Folic acid also helps tissues grow and cells work. Taking the right amount of folic acid before and during pregnancy helps prevent certain birth defects, including spina bifida.

Folic acid supplements may be to treat folic acid deficiency, certain menstrual problems, and leg ulcers.

Food Sources

Beans and legumes
Citrus fruits and juices
Wheat bran and other whole grains
Dark green leafy vegetables
Poultry, pork, shellfish
Liver

Side Effects

Folic acid deficiency may cause poor growth, gray hair, swollen tongue (glossitis), mouth ulcers, peptic ulcer, and diarrhea. It may also lead to certain types of anemias.

Too much folic acid usually doesn't cause harm, because the vitamin is regularly removed from the body through urine.

Recommendations

The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid. Most people in the United States have an adequate dietary intake of folic acid because it is plentiful in the food supply.

There is good evidence that folic acid can help reduce the risk of certain birth defects (spina bifida and anencephaly). Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should take a multivitamin with folic acid every day. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid to help prevent these kinds of birth defects.

The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following:

Infants:

0-6 months: 65 micrograms/day (mcg/d)
7-12 months: 80 mcg/d

Children

1-3 years: 150 mcg/d
4-8 years: 200 mcg/d
9-13 years: 300 mcg/d

Adolescents and Adults

Age 14 and older: 400 mcg/d
Pregnant women: 600 mcg/d
Breastfeeding women: 500 mcg/d

Review Date:1/2/2007
Reviewed By:William McGee, M.D., M.H.A., Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and Chairman, Nutrition Committee, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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