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Benefits of Folic Acid

Detailed Health Benefits of Folic Acid

The benefits of folic acid (Vitamin B9, folacin, and folate) are primarily important when it comes to cell division, production of red blood cells, and in the prevention of anemia. The body uses folic acid in nucleotide biosynthesis. Folic acid gets its name from the Latin word folium which means leaf. As you might have guessed this means leafy greens are our primary source of naturally occuring folic acid. Things like spinach, asparagus, lettuce, etc are all excellent sources of folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid).

Health benefits of folic acid include a reduction in heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, macular degeneration, and depression. It also increases memory, mental agility, and fertility. There is one exception to these benefits which is that folic acid can mask the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Long term vitamin B12 deficiency can cause permanent nerve damage and is important to get diagnosed early on. Because of this it is recommended to never exceed 1mg of folic acid per day as anything higher might mask the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Folic acid fortification occurs in many countries around the world but primarily in western countries. This means that some of our foods (grains) are fortified with additional folic acid to benefit everyone. Some people have criticized their government’s fortification programs because they believe the additional amounts result in an insignificant increase in folic acid intake. Also, some worry about pernicious anaemia (vitamin B12 deficiency) affecting more people due to symptom masking as mentioned above.

As mentioned above folic acid is used primarily during cell division and growth. Cancer cells divide rapidly and so methotrexate is used to inhibit cell metabolism. However, this drug can become toxic and result in serious life threatening side effects. Supplemental folic acid or diets high in folate have been used to lessen the likelihood or severity of these side effects while undergoing treatment.

There are some negatives to folic acid supplementation as well though. Studies have shown that in men it can double the risk of prostate cancer. Breast cancer risk has been shown to be both increased and decreased with folic acid intake. When it comes to cancer and folic acid the relationship is quite complex and not fully understood at present. If you are at higher risk for cancer or currently undergoing treatment you should discuss folic acid with your doctor.