Since 1998, the USDA has mandated enriched grain products be fortified with 140ug of folic acid/100g of the food. Why? Because FOLATE or FOLIC ACID is involved in cell division, DNA (genetic expression) and amino acid synthesis. Available folate is critical in the first trimester and even prior to conception to prevent neural tube defects which are birth defects where the brain, spinal cord and their protective membranes do not develop properly, resulting in disability or even death. Folate also supports a healthy placental lining and helps to lower risk for preeclampsia and high blood pressure.
Women who could become pregnant need 400ug/day. The recommended amount for pregnant women is 600ug/day and for breastfeeding women, 500ug/day. Toddlers need 150ug/day. Your prenatal supplement and children’s multivitamins contain folic acid. Dietary sources of folate are dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, asparagus), fruits like pineapple and banana, fortified breads and cereals, beans and lentils, avocado, nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds).
The importance of folate to prevent neural tube defects in newborns is not in question. Folate also lowers homocysteine, an amino acid that damages blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Scientists are alarmed, however, by research that shows high levels of folic acid increase the risk for cardiac events and certain cancers such as breast and colon. Folic acid may actually increase rates of precancerous and cancerous cell division.
Other folate research into cognitive health indicated that folic acid without adequate vitamin B12 did not slow cognitive decline, but actually increased it. High folate masks B12 deficiency symptoms. A maternal nutrition study in India showed pregant women with a diet low in B12 but high in folate had children who at 6yrs old had increased body fat and insulin resistance.
So should you or your children stop taking folic acid? No, but don’t go overboard on supplements and foods fortified with 100% of the daily value. Do not choose a prenatal with more than 400-600ug/serving of folic acid or a children’s multivitamin with more than 150ug. Make sure it also contains vitamin B12 (especially if you are vegetarian).
People absorb more folic acid from supplements and fortified foods than folate from natural food sources. If you take supplement with 400ug and eat a bowl of fortified cereal, you are easily attaining your recommended daily intake levels. Eat plenty of high folate foods. They contain a plethora of healthy vitamins and minerals, and fiber and do not pose a risk to you or your family’s health.
By Christina on 03/27/08 in Bistro Baby, Columns, Diet, Featured, Food, Health, Healthy Cooking
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April 1st, 2008 at 10:32 am
What’s fascinating is the idea that we can get *more* folate, more effectively, from supplements than from our diet. Is this true?!
I mean, I’m a big fan of supplements (going so far as buying them at times for gift baskets for friends), but I didn’t realize how important they are, and that supplements were the best method. There was a good article I also saw that makes a good case for how much we as women need these types of supplements.
As a vegetarian myself, I guess this is doubly important!
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Hi Sue -
Thank you for your comment…
This is not necessarily true with all supplements, but it is true for folic acid. We absorb only about 50% of folate from foods, whereas the bioavailability for the synthetic form, folic acid is much higher. Because most prenatals and multivitamins contain folic acid as well and fortified breads and cereals, you should practice caution in actually getting too much in your diet. Studies are showing that because folate is involved in cell division and DNA synthesis, it may increase growth of unhealthy cells as well such as tumor cells or simply alter genetic expression if things such as hair color. It is likely prudent to avoid consuming over 1000ug/day. If you take a supplement, you may want to regulate the amount of foods you eat that are fortified with folic acid.
Recommendations for pregnant women are to take a supplement with 400ug folic acid and obtain the remaining 200ug from your diet. Supplements are great safeguards, especially for vegetarians like yourself, but I firmly believe that foods, especially organic foods, are nature’s best package for vitamins and minerals. We have yet to discover the wide array of phytonutrients that whole foods offer, and by singling out certain nutrients that we do know about into supplements, we may be missing out on others.
Thank you again and feel free to let me know if you have any further questions or comments!
Christina Schmidt, M.S., N.E.
President, Baby Bistro Brands
http://www.babybistrobrands.com