The health benefits of folic acid

August 2, 2024

Providence Nutrition Team

[5 MIN READ]

Folic acid isn’t just for pregnant women — it also helps reduce your risk of heart disease and boosts your mental health.
The average adult needs 400 micrograms of folic acid intake every day.
If you or your health care provider suspect you have a folate deficiency, they will order a blood test.

Benefits of folic acid

Folic acid has long been associated with a healthy pregnancy. But it’s actually an extremely important vitamin for everyone, regardless of age or gender. Adequate folate intake does many great things for our bodies — besides supporting the healthy development of babies.

What is folic acid?

Folic acid is the synthetic (made in a lab) form of folate, a B vitamin that your body makes naturally. You can either take it as a dietary supplement or find it naturally in plant-based foods. These foods include leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard; citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits; legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas; and avocados, beets, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, nuts, seeds, and fortified cereals and grain products.

Health benefits of folic acid

Folic acid and folate perform many important jobs in the body, including:

Making healthy new blood cells. Not having enough red blood cells can make you tired, weak and pale, and lead to anemia.
Supporting healthy cell growth and function. Your body is made of trillions of cells. Folate and folic acid help ensure those cells are growing and dividing properly.

Those two important jobs — making red blood cells and supporting cell growth and function — impact almost every system in your body. In fact, research has suggested the following benefits of having enough folic acid every day. Folate may:

Reduce the risk of certain birth defects in babies. Studies repeatedly show that folic acid greatly reduces the risk of babies developing serious neural tube defects (including spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele) in utero. It can also support healthy brain development.
Reduce adults’ risk of heart disease and stroke. Folic acid supplements may help reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease, according to some studies. That’s because folic acid helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Help with mental health. “Folic acid helps make neurotransmitters like serotonin, which control our mood,” says Debrin Cohen, MS, RD, CNSC, a registered dietitian at Providence. “Getting enough folic acid can help lower the risk of depression and memory loss.”
Maintain immunity as part of a balanced diet. Studies show that deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12 can change our immune responses.

It might seem like a small thing, but folic acid (and really all vitamins and micronutrients) is part of the whole health picture — something Providence primary care physicians and nutritionists discuss with every patient. Before beginning a new regimen of vitamin supplements or making diet changes, be sure to talk to your doctor about what is right for you. People with certain conditions may be deficient in certain nutrients, or may be at risk of overdoing it. Your doctor or nutritionist can help you manage your diet with a well-balanced nutritional plan and folate supplementation if needed.

Recommended daily intake

The National Institutes of Health have published a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of folate/folic acid for age groups from birth to adult. They also have recommendations for women who are pregnant or lactating. These can be attained naturally through eating certain foods, or through supplements and multivitamins. Your doctor can help you determine if you are consuming the right amount of nutrients in your diet and can recommend supplements if necessary.

“The amount of folic acid needed every day depends on age,” says Cohen. “Infants need 65-80 micrograms (mcg), children 1 to 8 years old need 150-200 mcg, 9- to 13-year-olds need 300 mcg, and teenagers and adults need 400 mcg of folic acid. Pregnant women need more folic acid, aiming for 600 mcg daily, and breastfeeding moms need 500 mcg each day.”

Folic acid deficiency and risks

Pregnant women aren’t the only people who may suffer negative effects if they don’t get enough folic acid. The condition, called folate deficiency, can lead to several symptoms and related conditions:

Folate deficiency anemia

Anemia is when your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your organs and body tissues. It can cause symptoms such as:

Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Paleness
Irritability

Other symptoms of folate deficiency

In addition to anemia, low folate levels can also lead to other side effects such as:

Lack of energy
Depression
Weight loss
Difficulty concentrating
Memory loss
Reduce sense of taste
Mouth sores
Diarrhea
Muscle weakness

What causes folate deficiency?

“Eating a balanced diet with foods rich in folic acid is essential for maintaining overall health and avoiding certain health problems,” says Cohen.

However, a folate deficiency can also result from other issues, such as:

A digestive system disease – It’s possible that you are eating the right foods, but your digestive system isn’t processing them as it should.
Overcooking your fruits and vegetables – The heat can destroy the natural folic acid in these foods.
Some medications – There are some drugs that can interfere with how your body absorbs folic acid.
Kidney dialysis – Some people with kidney failure need dialysis, a process that can affect your folic acid level.

Tests and treatment

Your health care provider can use a blood test to determine your folate levels. If you have a folate deficiency, they will prescribe a folic acid supplement. They will let you know how much you need to take, and also counsel you about how to get the necessary amount of folic acid in your diet.

The key to staying healthy is paying attention to your body. If you notice troublesome symptoms, tell your health care provider right away — the solution may be as simple as taking a supplement.

Contributing caregiver

Debrin Cohen, MS, RD, CNSC, is a registered dietitian at Providence.

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