Why do I need folic acid?
Because, if you're like most people, you simply don't get enough. Folic acid, also called folate or folacin, is one of the B vitamins, also known as B9. Your body needs it to produce red blood cells, as well as norepinephrine and seratonin (chemical components of the nervous system ). It helps synthesize DNA and normalize brain function, and is a critical part of spinal fluid.
Folic acid is also one of the few nutrients known to prevent neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, which affects one in every 1,000 babies born in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control report that women who take the recommended daily dosage of folic acid reduce their baby's risk of some types of birth defects by 50 percent. Women who don't get enough may increase their chance of miscarriage.
How much do I need?
Before you conceive, you'd be wise to take a daily multivitamin containing at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. Even better, take an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin, which has 800 mcg. (Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, so your body will flush out the excess if you take too much. For some women, there's an exception to this rule; getting too much folate may hide a B12 deficiency, sometimes a problem for vegetarians. Ask your provider if you think you may be at risk.)
Once you're pregnant, you'll need at least 600 mcg daily, the amount the Institute of Medicine advises; many doctors suggest 800 mcg. Because the fetus's neural tubes close during the first four weeks, you'll want to start taking supplements before then.
Women who have had one child with a neural tube defect have a higher risk of having a second with the same defect. Healthcare providers now advise these women to take five times as much folic acid 4 milligrams (mg) starting one month before conception, if possible, and continuing through the first three months of pregnancy.
Should I take a supplement?
Yes. And eating plenty of folate-rich foods won't hurt either, especially if you can't stomach your prenatal vitamin early on in your pregnancy. See below for suggestions on folic-rich food.
Take our quiz Am I getting enough folic acid? for more ideas.
What are the best food sources?
Leafy green vegetables are a good source, so try to have a large bowl of salad daily. And manufacturers are now required by the FDA to add folic acid to enriched cereal grain products such as flour, pasta, and rice. Other sources include:
1/2 cup chicken liver: 539 mcg
1/2 cup beef liver: 184.5 mcg
1/2 cup lentils: 179 mcg
1/2 cup cereal (fortified): 146-179 mcg
1 oz. wheat germ: 100 mcg
4 spears steamed or boiled asparagus: 88 mcg
Medium-sized papaya: 115 mcg
1/2 cup steamed broccoli: 52 mcg
1 cup cantaloupe: 27.2 mcg
Large hard-boiled egg: 22 mcg
3 oz. canned salmon: 17 mcg
FYI Cooking these foods at high heat on the stove or in a microwave, or with too much water, will reduce their nutritional value. Try to eat vegetables lightly steamed or raw.
What are signs of a deficiency?
Folate-deficiency anemia and iron-deficiency anemia can have the same symptoms of fatigue and weakness. A mild folate deficiency may also leave you grumpy or edgy. pina bifida
A birth defect resulting from the incorrect development of the spinal cord that can leave the spinal cord exposed, spina bifida affects approximately one in every 2,000 babies born in the United States. Folic acid reduces the likelihood of spina bifida, and women are advised to take supplements before and during pregnancy.
Folate is an important vitamin for women of childbearing age
Folate (also known as folic acid) is a B-group vitamin. Women of childbearing age should take extra folate daily because this vitamin is crucial to the healthy development of babies in early pregnancy. Folate taken before conception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy can prevent seven out of ten cases of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Over 600 pregnancies in Victoria every year are affected by neural tube defects.
The neural tube
In the developing foetus, the neural tube will later become the baby's spinal cord, brain and the bones that enclose them. If something goes wrong in their development, the result is called a neural tube defect. This can cause a wide range of disabilities, such as loss of bladder and bowel control, and paralysis of the legs. In some cases, the effects can be more severe.
The average diet doesn't contain enough folate
Most women don't get enough folate. It's difficult to measure just how much folate you get from your diet because the vitamin is affected by how foods are cooked and stored. The baby's neural tube is formed and closed in the first four to six weeks of pregnancy. By the time most women know or suspect they are pregnant, the time to benefit from extra folate has passed.
That's why women who are able to get pregnant need 0.4 to 0.5mg of folate daily. The best way to make sure is to take a supplement as well as eating foods naturally rich in folate. You can also eat foods that have folate added to them, such as some cereals. Even women who aren't planning to have a baby should increase their folate intake because around half of all pregnancies are unplanned.
How to increase your folate intake
Sexually active women who are able to get pregnant need to take 0.4 to 0.5mg of folate daily. Ways to get enough folate include:
· Taking folate supplements.
· Eating folate-rich foods, such as asparagus, spinach, Brussels sprouts, oranges, bananas, strawberries and legumes.
· Choosing foods that have been fortified with folate, such as breakfast cereals and bread.
At higher risk
Some women have a higher risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. These women need to take a higher dose of folate. They should take 5mg of folate each day. This is 10 times higher that that recommended for women with a low risk.
These high doses should be taken under medical supervision
You are at greater risk if you (or your partner):
· Already have a baby with a neural tube defect
· Have a neural tube defect yourself
· Have a close relative affected by a neural tube defect
· Take medicine for epilepsy or seizures - some medications affect the absorption of folate.
Where to get help
· Your doctor
· Family planning clinic
· Local chemist
· Your local community health centre
· Health food shop.
Things to remember
· Folate reduces the risk of neural tube defects in babies.
· Even women who aren't planning to have a baby should increase their folate intake because about half of all pregnancies are unplanned.
Using folate supplements is a good way to ensure adequate daily intake.
