Benefits of Folic Acid:

Folic acid is a B-vitamin (B9) that is necessary for proper cell growth and fetal development. Folic acid is found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains.

Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk by up to 70% that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect. The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida. Spina bifida is an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column and results in severe underdevelopment of the fetal brain, and encephalocele. Neural tube defects affect an estimated 4,000 pregnancies each year. Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect and is the leading cause of childhood paralysis. Anencephaly, another type of neural tube defect that affects the brain, is always fatal. All of these defects occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy - usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant.

That's why it's so important for all women of childbearing age to consume folic acid - not just those who are planning to become pregnant. Approximatly 50% of pregnancies are planned, so any woman who could become pregnant should make sure she's getting enough folic acid.

Though it is possible to obtain the recommended dosage of folic acid through foods, it is difficult. An easy way to be sure you're getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin with folic acid in it. In 1992, the United States Public Health Service recommended that all women of childbearing years should take 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid daily to prevent having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect.

Doctors and scientists are still not completely sure why folic acid has such a profound effect on the prevention of neural tube defects, but they do know that this vitamin is crucial in the development of DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development as well as tissue formation.

It is also important to know that the human body actually absorbs the synthetic form of folic acid better than the natural form of folic acid called “folate.” In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration required the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flours, pastas, rice and other grain products in order to increase the amount of synthetic folic acid in the general population’s diet.

Other Folic Acid Benefits

New research suggests that folic acid can also help prevent other birth defects, such as cleft lip and cleft palate. Additional health benefits associated with folic acid include reductions in depression, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Studies have shown that folic acid, in combination with vitamins B12 and B6, can help prevent recurrence of blocked arteries in patients who have undergone angioplasty. Folic acid may also help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by protecting the neurons critical for learning and memory. Emerging research suggests that folic acid deficiency can also increase the brain’s susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease.

Supporting References for Folic Acid:

Berry RJ, Li Z, Erickson JD, et al. Preventing neuraltube defects with folic acid in China. N. Engl. J. Med. 1999; 341: 1485-90

Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) Statement. Periconceptional use of folic acid for reduction of the risk of neural tube defects. Pediatr. Child Health 1997; 2: 152-54

Das UN. Nutrition. Folic acid says NO to vascular diseases. 2003 Jul-Aug; 19(7-8): 686-92

Date I, Yagyu Y, Asari S, Ohmoto T. Longterm outcome in surgically treated spina bifida cystica. Surg. Neurol. 1993; 40: 471-5

Forman R, Singal N, Perelman V, et al. Folic acid and prevention of neural tube defects: a study of Canadian mothers of infants with spina bifida. Clin. Invest. Med. 1996; 19: 195-201

Hayes C, Werler MM, Willett WC, et al. Case-control study of periconceptional folic acid supplementation and oral clefts. Am. J. Epidemiol. 1996; 143: 1229-34

Honein M.A., Paulozzi L.J., Mathews T.J., Erickson J.D., Wong L-Y C. Impact of folic acid fortification of the US food supply on the occurrence of neural tube defects. JAMA 2001; 285: 2981-86

Hunt GM. The median survival time in open spina bifida. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 1997; 39: 568

Kirke PN, Daly LE, Elwood JH. A randomized trial of low-dose folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. Arch. Dis. Child 1992; 67: 1442-46

Koren G. Periconception folic acid supplementation. Can. Fam. Physician 1997; 43: 851-52

Milunsky A., Jick H., Jick S.S., et al. Multivitamin/ folic acid supplementation in early pregnancy reduces the prevalence of neural tube defects. JAMA 1989; 262: 2847-52

Morin VI, Mondor M, Wilson RD. Knowledge on periconceptional use of folic acid in women of British Columbia. Fetal Diagn. Ther. 2001; 16: 111-15.

Oakley GP Jr. Folic acid preventable spina bifida and anencephaly. JAMA 1993; 269: 1292-93

Pearce HR, Smith NA, Fox EF, Bingham JS. Periconceptional folic acid: knowledge amongst patients and health care workers in a London teaching hospital. Bri. J. Fam. Plann. 1996; 22: 20-21

Perelman V, Singal N, Einarson A, et al. Knowledge and practice by Canadian family physicians regarding periconceptional folic acid supplementation for the prevention of neural tube defects. Can. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 1996; 3: 145-8

Tolarova M, Harris J. Reduced recurrence of orofacial clefts after periconceptional supplementation with high-dose folic acid and multivitamins. Teratology 1995; 51: 71-8

Watkins ML, Scanlon KS, Mulinare J, Khoury MJ. Is maternal obesity a risk factor for anencephaly and spina bifida? Epidemiology 1996; 7: 507-12

Werler MM, Shapiro S, Mitchell AA. Periconceptional folic acid exposure and risk of occurrent neural tube defects. JAMA 1993; 269: 1257-61

Wilson RD, Van Allen MI. The use of folic acid for prevention of neural tube defects. J. Soc. Obstet. Gynaecol. Can 1993; 15 (March suppl.): 41-6

Van Allen MI, Fraser FC, Dallaire L, et al. Recommendations on the use of folic acid supplementation to prevent the recurrence of neural tube defects. Can. Med. Assoc. J. 1993; 149: 1239-43

Zurmohle UM, Homann T, Schroeter C et al. Psychosocial adjustment of children with spina bifida. J. Child Neurol. 1998; 13(2): 64-70.

Folic Acid and Spina Bifida Information Links:

Folic Acid and Pregnancy (March of Dimes)

Folic Acid Benefits and Information (Folic Acid Alliance)

Folic Acid Benefits and Information (National Council on Folic Acid)

This information on folic acid has been provided for information purposes only and should not be construed as recommendations. Please consult your health care provider first if you have any health problems or would like more information on folic acid (folate).