What's
so good about Folic Acid?
Folic acid is vitamin B9 in water-soluble form. It is a
nutrient you get naturally in your diet, as folate, from green
leafy veggies, cauliflower, beans and organ meats. It has been
known for decades that this nutrient is important for pregnant
women because it prevents birth defects. But the big news these
days is that folic acid helps reduce the risk of strokes.
Folic acid acts in your blood to reduce homocysteine
concentrations in your body.
Homo-what?
Homocysteine. It may be an unfamiliar word, but you may already
be familiar with the harm it can cause. In a nutshell,
homocysteine is an amino acid in your blood that attacks blood
vessel walls and promotes cardiovascular disease. If your
system is short on folic acid, your body can’t break down
homocysteine like it should.
High
blood levels of homocysteine have been clearly associated with
heart disease. In fact, people who have high blood homocysteine
levels are twice as likely to suffer from clogged arteries. A
recent study at the University of Washington found that high
homocysteine levels pose a risk for cardiovascular disease
regardless of a patient’s other risk factors like cholesterol,
triglycerides, and smoking.(1)
The
“New Cholesterol?”
Because it is a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes,
homocysteine has been called the “new cholesterol.”
(1)
However, there is one huge difference between homocysteine and
cholesterol: you can’t keep your homocysteine level down just
by staying away from certain foods. Unlike cholesterol,
homocysteine is not found in foods. It’s in your blood at
various levels, and getting the right amount of folic acid can
keep it from being too high.
Do I
need folic acid?
An
overwhelming number of studies show that yes, you do. Everyone
needs it. And you get some of what you need from foods you
eat. But deficiencies of folic acid and other B-vitamins are
very common. In one study, 59 percent of middle-aged men were
found to be folic acid deficient. In other research, 30 percent
of elderly men and women studied had elevated blood homocysteine
levels. In 1995 Dr. Rene Malinow at Oregon Health Sciences
University, reported that 30 to 40 percent of people with
cerebrovascular and peripheral artery disease had highs
homocysteine levels.
(1)
What
else can folic acid do for me?
In
addition to lowering your homocysteine level, folic acid
also provides some benefit in reducing the risk of high blood
pressure, possibly because it helps maintain the flexibility of
arteries and helps your body adjust its own blood pressure.
(2)Folate
also helps maintain the nervous system, intestinal tract, sex
organs and normal growth patterns. It promotes healthy skin,
protects against cancer, and prevents canker sores. And here’s
some emerging research we’ll keep an eye on: High homocysteine
levels may even be associated with dementia.
And we
can’t leave out the folate information that is crucial to
moms-to-be. Since the 1960s it has been well documented that
folic acid is necessary for a new mother-to-be to ensure that
the neural tube closes on a developing fetus. If you are
expecting a baby, or plan to have children in the future, you
should discuss this with your doctor to make sure you have
sufficient levels of folic acid early in your pregnancy.
How
much folic acid do I need?
A new
study from Taiwan indicates that in test subjects who had high
homocysteine when they began the study, and in subjects who had
a genetic propensity for high homocysteine, their levels lowered
when they consumed a low dose folic acid supplement.
(3)
A
popular 2005 Harvard study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, found
that women who got at least 1,000 micrograms of folate a day
were 25 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than
those consuming less than 200 micrograms per day. Many other
studies have looked at lower doses and found that taking more
than 800 mcg does not provide any added benefit.
(2)
Interestingly, the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) of
folic acid has been deliberately set at a low level because,
when looking at blood cells under a microscope, folic acid can
mask some signs of a B-12 deficiency. However, since the time
when the RDAs for folic acid were set, science has progressed to
better, more sensitive methods for detecting B-12 deficiency, in
which folic acid masking that problem is no longer a factor.
Still, most folic acid supplements, as a “just-in-case” simple
solution, include B-12 as well. (1)
Our
B-Active vitamins provide 800 mcg of folic acid, along with
vitamins B-12 and B-6 in a unique hard-to-find timed release
formula. Timed release is important since your body cannot
store up B vitamins. They simply get eliminated through the
urine because most B vitamins that you find over the counter or
on the internet do not have this special quality to them.
Keeping your body healthy is something you do for yourself and
for the people who love you. We can not over-emphasize the
importance of a well-balanced diet. And as you make the effort
to eat healthy for your heart; don’t forget the importance of
folic acid, and the probable need to provide more to your body
through high quality B supplements.
References:
(1)
Challem, Jack. 1995. The B-Vitamins and Heart
Disease. Nutrition Reporter Newsletter.
(2)
Weber,
Craig, M.D. Can Folic Acid Prevent High Blood Pressure? Your
Guide to High Blood Pressure.
(3)
Lina PT, Leeb B-J, Changc H-H, Tsaid A-J, Huanga
YC. Low-dose folic acid supplementation reduces homocysteine
concentration in hyperhomocysteinemic coronary artery disease
patients. Nutrition Research, September 2006; 26 (9): 460-466.
