Q. Can women get too much folic acid?
Folic acid has no known toxic level. If you were to eat a bowl of fully fortified cereal (400 micrograms), take 400 micrograms (0.4 milligram) folic acid supplement, and eat fortified foods and foods rich in folate, women of reproductive age would not have a problem with too much folic acid. Even in very high amounts folic acid is non-toxic. Nevertheless, it is recommended that women consume no more than 1,000 micrograms of synthetic folic acid a day. Large amounts of folic acid may hide the ability to quickly diagnose a rare vitamin B-12 deficiency, pernicious anemia. This condition primarily affects the elderly population and, in some cases, can lead to neurological damage. Today, doctors can use a simple definitive test to check for a B-12 deficiency.Findings from a survey conducted during July-August 1998 to assess folic acid knowledge and practices among women of childbearing age in the United States indicate that of all women surveyed, only 13% knew that folic acid helps prevent birth defects, and only 7% knew that folic acid should be taken before pregnancy to prevent the birth defects.
Q. Are women getting enough folic acid?
Even though there are several ways to get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligram) of folic acid every day, two thirds of women in the United States do not consume adequate amounts of folic acid.Q. What are the costs associated with NTDs?
The average total lifetime cost to society for each infant born with spina bifida is approximately $532,000 per child. This estimate is only an average, and for many children the total cost may be well above $1,000,000.Q. What are other health benefits to taking folic acid?
High levels of the amino acid homocysteine are independently associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. It has been shown that taking folic acid lowers homocysteine levels in both men and women, but it is not yet known whether folic acid supplementation also lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.There are some indications that folic acid use may also reduce the risk for other birth defects, such as cleft lip and palate and certain congenital heart defects. Folic acid may also play a role in protecting against some forms of cancer and heart disease. More research is needed to understand the impact of folic acid in preventing those diseases and other birth defects. Reprinted from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
More About Pregnancy
