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.
Folic acid works along with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to help the body break down, use, and create new proteins. When
the amino acid, methionine breaks down in the body, it produces
homocysteine. Homocysteine is a harmful substance for the body and can
cause heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and cancers. Folic
acid along with other B complex vitamins helps to convert this
homocysteine to cysteine which does not have any harmful effects .
The
vitamin also helps to form red blood cells and helps produce DNA and
RNA, the building blocks of the human body, which carry genetic
information.
Folic
acid 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, cleft lip, cleft palate and neural
tube defects.
Folic acid supplements may also be used to treat folic acid deficiency, certain menstrual problems, and leg ulcers.
Folic Acid Food Sources
Folate occurs naturally in the following foods:
- Beans and legumes
- Citrus fruits and juices
- Wheat bran and other whole grains
- Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, lettuce)
- Poultry, pork, shellfish
- Organ meats (Liver and kidney)
Folic Acid is sensitive to light, heat and storage and some amount maybe lost during cooking and storage.
(Folic acid is the man-made form of folate found in supplements.)
Folic Acid - 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.
A little extra folic acid usually doesn't cause harm, because the vitamin is regularly removed from the body through urine.
Folic Acid - 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 at least 400 micrograms (mcg)
of folic acid every day. Pregnant women need even higher levels of
folic acid. Ask your health care provider which amount is best for you.
The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for folate:
Infants
- 0 - 6 months: 65 mcg/day
- 7 - 12 months: 80 mcg/day
Children
- 1 - 3 years: 150 mcg/day
- 4 - 8 years: 200 mcg/day
- 9 - 13 years: 300 mcg/day
Adolescents and Adults
- Males age 14 and older: 400 mcg/day
- Females age 14 - 50: 400 mcg/day plus 400 mcg/day from supplements or fortified foods
- Females age 50 and over: 400 mcg/day
Specific
recommendations depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as
pregnancy). Many foods are now fortified with folic acid to help
prevent birth defects.
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.
By. Poonam Vaswani, Dietitian, NutritionVista.com
References
Food and Nutrition Board. Institute of Medicine -
Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6,
Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. National
Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1998.
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