Pregnant women plagued by cravings for pickles and ice
cream must remember to include plenty of folic acid in
their diets. Shown to reduce the risk of miscarriage and
birth defects, folic acid – found primarily in leafy green
vegetables – is an absolute necessity for any woman who is
pregnant or is considering becoming pregnant. In fact,
"health officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) now recommend that all women of
childbearing age take folic acid (0.4 mg daily) to protect
their future newborns from developing a neural tube
defect, an anomaly of the spinal cord," writes Burton
Goldberg in Alternative Medicine.
However, it's not just expectant moms who could stand to
add more leafy greens to their plates. Because it is
useful in combating everything from acne and canker sores
to osteoporosis and cancer, we could all benefit from
adding more folic acid to our diets. Along with pregnant
women, elderly individuals and people suffering from
depression or nervous system disorders especially stand to
gain from the addition of this B vitamin.
Folic acid, the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate,
works primarily in the brain and nervous system and is
necessary for the synthesis of DNA, the production of red
and white blood cells and of norepinephrine and serotonin
in the nervous system. Folic acid also aids in the
elimination of the amino acid homocysteine from the blood,
a breakdown product of animal protein (methionine,
actually) that contributes to heart attacks. A lack of
folic acid can lead to anemia, insomnia, irritability and
far more serious health problems.
Despite its range of health benefits, many Americans are
deficient in the vitamin, coming nowhere near the
government's recommended daily allowance of 200 micrograms
daily. "The average American gets only 61 percent of the
old Recommended Dietary Allowance, which is too low
anyway," says James Duke, PhD in Anti-Aging
Prescriptions. Part of the reason for the shortfall is
that more Americans are choosing to eat more animal foods
– which are a poor source of folic acid – rather than
folic-acid rich plant foods, like dark green vegetables,
legumes, root vegetables and whole grains.
Dr. Andrew Weil, in Ask Dr. Weil, recommends the use of
supplements to make up for the deficiency. "As many as 90
percent of Americans don't get that protective 400
micrograms in their diet – for example, you'd have to eat
two cups of steamed spinach, a cup of boiled lentils, or
eight oranges every day. So it's important to take a
supplement, especially if you're a woman and considering
having children someday." As Dr. Weil suggests, for women
who are deficient in this essential vitamin, the health
costs can be especially high.
Folic acid is essential for pregnant women. Not only does
it protect against cervical cancer, it also aids in
healthy prenatal development and can significantly reduce
the risk of serious neural tube birth defects and
abnormalities that occur in very early fetal development,
such as spina bifida. However, experts say most women
aren't getting adequate levels of folic acid early enough
to offer the best protection against birth defects.
"Very few women of child bearing years are taking folic
acid… If a person waits until pregnant, the fetal
abnormality is already established. All women of
child-bearing age who might become pregnant should be
taking 400 mg of folic acid," advises Dr. James Howenstine
in A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That
Work. To make matters even more difficult, women who
take birth control pills are especially prone to
deficiency in the B vitamin since birth control pills
actually produce folic acid deficiency.
Men planning to become fathers need to monitor their folic
acid intake as well, as low folic acid levels in males has
been linked to low sperm count, and some studies suggest
deficiency can also damage DNA carried by the sperm. Such
damaged DNA could lead to chromosomal damage in a fetus,
according to Bottom Line Yearbook 2004. In other
words, both men and women who plan to have children should
increase their folic acid intake for the sake of their
baby-to-be.
Folic acid promotes good health for the mind and body,
from the earliest stages of life to the latest. Men and
women over 60 who feel fatigued and depressed may simply
be suffering from a folic acid deficiency. In fact, folic
acid deficiency has been linked to depression in patients
of all ages, and according to Gary Null's Complete
Guide of Natural Healing, "the lower the level of
folic acid in the blood, the higher the degree of
depression."
Folic acid can also help ward off dementia, according to
Patrick Quillin in Beating Cancer With Nutrition,
who wrote that experts estimate up to 20 percent of
senility in older adults is simply the result of a
long-term deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B-12, which
can be aided by taking supplements. However, when taking
folic acid supplements, it is important to remember that
folic acid and vitamin B-12 work most effectively
together, so you should make sure you are getting enough
vitamin B-12, as well. Vegans often struggle with this
balance since their diets are very rich in folic acid but
not in B-12.
The meager representation of folic acid in the American
diet can be increased if we all just take a little more
care in planning our meals. One way to up folic acid
consumption is to make sure your diet includes raw foods,
since heat from cooking easily destroys folic acid. And
remember, sources of folic acid are plentiful – soybeans,
spinach, broccoli, cabbage, peanuts, asparagus, citrus
fruits, brussels sprouts, avocado, sunflower seeds, orange
juice and don't forget those leafy greens – we just have
to be willing to integrate these foods into our diets.
General information on folic acid
A study is available from the Washington Council for
Responsible Nutrition that reports women taking Vitamin E
over age 50 and folic acid and Zinc during childbearing
years would save Medicare 11 billion dollars, and overall
reduce birth defects and coronary heart disease hospital
expenses of 20 billion dollars per year.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 100
WHAT IS IT? Even though your body needs only comparatively
minuscule amounts of folic acid, it is a vital nutrient.
Folic acid—along with all the other nutrients, of
course—is your guarantee of optimum physical and mental
health. Your levels of folic acid are dependent on outside
sources; your body does not make it on its own.
Furthermore, it needs vitamin C to work properly. It works
in partnership with B12 and B6, as well as the other B
vitamins. Folic acid is essential to the production of
norepinephrine and serotonin, chemical go-betweens of the
nervous system.
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by
Gary Null, page 284
Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that is crucial for
the synthesis of DNA (genetic material) as well as for
many other important cell functions. It was discovered in
spinach leaves in 1941 and was named "folate," after the
Latin word for leaf (folium). The terms folate and folic
acid are roughly synonymous. For the sake of simplicity, I
will generally use the latter term. Not surprisingly, this
vitamin is mainly found in green leafy vegetables.
Although folic acid is not an antioxidant, it boosts the
antioxidant network and thus has a place in our story.
Antioxidants Against Cancer by Ralph
Moss PhD, page 92
WHO NEEDS folic acid? If you are pregnant, elderly, or
suffer from any sort of nervous disorder, you may benefit
from additional amounts of folic acid in your diet.
Pregnant women, for instance, must be wary of folic acid
deficiency. Folic acid supplementation has been helpful in
preventing abortion and miscarriage. The elderly need
additional folic acid, too. If you are over sixty and
depressed, withdrawn, and chronically tired, you may be
deficient in this vital element. Let's look at the results
of a study in which folic acid was added to the diets of
elderly individuals: three groups of patients were used,
all with varying degrees of circulation problems. The
first group, those with the least degree of difficulty,
experienced improved vision less than an hour after
receiving folic acid. (Among those with circulatory
problems, vision is often impaired because of poor
circulation to the optical tissues.)
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by
Gary Null, page 284
Folic acid: a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex
essential for the synthesis of nucleic acids and necessary
for making red blood cells (hematopoiesis), so a
deficiency of folic acid results in anemia. After
absorption, it is successively reduced to dihydro-folic
acid and then tetrahydrofolic acid, the parent compound of
the derivatives that act as coenzyme carriers of
one-carbon groups in various metabolic reactions.
Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V
Kendall PhD, page 216
Red blood cells are built with Vitamins B-12, folic acid,
and B6.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 100
And remember, folic acid can be destroyed by exposure to
heat and strong light.
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by
Gary Null, page 286
Recommendations on folic acid
Doctors routinely advise women who are pregnant, or
thinking of becoming pregnant, to supplement folic acid (a
B vitamin also known as folate) as a means of safeguarding
against birth defects such as spinal malformations.
Anti-Aging Prescriptions by James
Duke PhD, page 219
It is becoming increasingly obvious that food
supplementation is necessary to prevent cancer and other
diseases. The prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) of
the National Academy of Sciences in 1998 called for
supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12.
Antioxidants Against Cancer by Ralph
Moss PhD, page 10
If you're concerned that your diet might not provide
enough vitamin B6 and folic acid to prevent stroke, Dr.
Lieberman suggests taking supplements of both nutrients.
Aim for 300 milligrams of B6 and 800 micrograms of folic
acid a day Vitamin B6 doses this high, however, should
only be taken under medical supervision. Add E for extra
protection.
Blended Medicine by Michael Castleman,
page 10
Vegetarians owe it to themselves to be extra careful about
their diets. As Richard W. Vilter, M.D., of the University
of Cincinnati College of Medicine, warns, "Persons who eat
absolutely no animal protein (called vegans) or extreme
vegetarians have no source of vitamin B12, but much folic
acid in their diets." Frequently in such subjects,
neurologic abnormalities develop of the posterolateral
column degeneration type. This is a situation analogous to
a patient with pernicious anemia who is treated
inadequately with a mixed vitamin capsule containing folic
acid." There is another danger for those who abstain from
animal foods, including dairy products: dietary
deficiencies don't show up for five to ten years because
the body is able to hold some B12 in reserve. Nerve damage
may exist without signs of deficiency until it is too
late. The result of degeneration of the nervous system and
the spinal cord is so irreparable that death may be the
result.
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by
Gary Null, page 283
Benefits and uses of folic acid
Folic acid is important during the aging process because
it provides nourishment for the brain. Folic acid supports
the production of energy and the production of blood
cells. Supplementing with folic acid may help in the
treatment of depression.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 321
Three to four hundred milligrams of vitamin B5 and 150 mg
of B6 should be consumed on a daily basis, while
prescriptions of folic acid can serve as natural hormone
replacements. Adequate quantities of essential fatty acids
should also be consumed because they act as natural
hormone supplements, prevent cancer, and can alleviate the
symptoms of aging.
Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural
Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 258
Folic acid, the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate, is
incredibly important. For one thing, folate is a key
regulator of an amino acid called homocysteine, a
breakdown product of animal protein. A number of studies
have connected high levels of homocysteine in the blood to
arterial disease and heart attacks. Folate helps the body
eliminate homocysteine from the blood. Recently, Dr.
Howard Morrison, an epidemiologist in Ottawa, was able to
make a direct connection between folate and heart disease.
He looked at folate levels in the blood of 5,056 men who
had participated in a nutrition study in the 1970s, and he
found that those with low levels of the vitamin were 69
percent more likely to have died from heart problems in
the years since. Folate also has been found to prevent
neural tube defects (such as spina bifida and anencephaly)
in babies, which are caused when this structure fails to
form properly. The neural tube is the embryonic tissue
that later becomes the brain and spinal cord. Apparently
folic acid is essential to its proper development. Earlier
this year, the Food and Drug Administration ordered pasta,
rice, and flour makers to add folic acid to their foods as
protection against birth defects.
Ask Dr Weil by Andrew Weil MD, page
98
Proper nutritional supplementation can significantly
improve cardiovascular conditions, as well as prevent them
from occurring in the first place. Useful nutrients
include beta carotene; vitamins B3 (niacin), Be, B12, C,
and E; folic acid; the minerals calcium, chromium,
magnesium, potassium, and selenium; the amino acids L-arginine,
L-taurine, and L-carnitine; coenzyme Q10; and pycnogenol.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 771
According to some studies, folic acid has been helpful in
relieving depression, even when used in dosages as low as
400 meg. It can also enhance cerebral circulation. One
study showed that people with low levels of folic acid
were twice as likely as people with adequate levels to
have narrowed arteries in their necks. Psychiatric
symptoms also appear to be much higher in people,
particularly elderly people, who have low folic acid
levels. In one study, low folic acid levels increased
likelihood of dementia by 300 percent. folic acid is
especially effective at breaking down the common chemical
homocysteine, which is a neurotoxin. An appropriate daily
dosage would be 400 meg, the amount found in many multiple
vitamins.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh
Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 247
Folic acid: This is another member of the vitamin B
family, found in abundance in liver, kidney, mushrooms,
spinach, yeast and green leafy vegetables. It has been
used for decades to prevent and treat certain forms of
anemia. But folic acid also increases the production of
white blood cells crucial in the defense against cancer.
In the late 1980s, scientists at the University of Alabama
Medical Center found that the folic acid in dark leafy
vegetables, oranges and liver could act together with
vitamin B to prevent injuries to lung tissue and retard
the development of cancer among cigarette smokers. These
researchers found that smokers whose lung cells were
injured had low levels of both folic acid and vitamin B12.
Since these nutrients are necessary to synthesize DNA, a
deficiency of one or both of these vitamins could make
cells more susceptible to the effects of carcinogens.
These vitamins also offered protection against birth
defects and cancerous changes in cervical cells.
Cancer Therapy by Ralph W Moss PhD,
page 42
Floss one to two times daily and then rinse mouth (for one
minute) with several mouthfuls of liquid folic acid (0.1%
solution) and then swallow. In one study, 60 individuals
with gingivitis rinsed for one minute two times daily and
had beneficial results. If you cannot find liquid folic
acid, buy folic acid crystals in 800 meg capsules, empty
two capsules in water and use this to gargle.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 1055
Lipotropic factors are compounds that
promote the transportation and utilization of fats, and
help prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver. They
include methionine, choline, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
Cancer And Natural Medicine by John
Boik, page 140
Folic acid helps against uric acid.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 560
The four B vitamins that are most important for your brain
are B12, B6, B3, and folic acid.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh
Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 246
The body uses 75-99% of its Calcium, with Phosphorus,
Boron, Manganese, Silica, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc,
Strontium; Protein; the Vitamins A, B-Complex, B6, folic
acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin K to form bone
tissue and teeth.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 800
The primary nutritional building blocks of both
neurotransmitters are the amino acids tyrosine and
phenylalanine. To potentiate the action of these amino
acids, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and B can be
taken.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh
Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 213
Part of the vitamin B complex, folic acid is necessary for
synthesis of nucleic acids and formation of the heme
component of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
Britannica Encyclopedia Volume One, page 674
[Folic acid] is especially helpful for patients with a
history of breast cancer, cervical dysplasia, and smoking.
For smokers, it cuts down on the adverse effects of
nicotine on the lungs.
Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural
Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 84
Treatments using folic acid
Folic acid is also used in the treatment of cervical
dysplasia, a pre-cancerous condition of the uterus, and
for this reason is also given to women who take birth
control pills or who are pregnant.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 410
Nerves on edge? Folic acid can help. The Lancet,
Britain's prestigious medical journal, reports, "In the
past decade [however] there has been increasing interest
in the role of folate [folic acid] in neuronal metabolism,
in neuropsychiatric illness, and in antiepileptic and
convulsant mechanisms." When a folic acid deficiency
occurs, your nervous system suffers, because there is
normally such a high folate concentration in your
cerebrospinal fluid. In many psychiatric and geriatric
patients with mental dysfunctions, deficiency is common.
"This is a promising area for future research," The
Lancet adds.
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by
Gary Null, page 285
Dr. Aesoph adds that chromium aids in stabilizing the
erratic blood sugar seen in alcoholic hypoglycemia, while
choline and folic acid are also commonly cited as
important supplements to assist in the body's recovery
from addiction.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 480
Homocysteinemia: Persons with elevated levels of
homocysteine are at risk for arteriosclerosis. This can
and should be corrected with adequate amounts of folic
acid, B 12, pyridoxine, and trimethylglycine. The only way
you can be sure you are getting adequate amount of therapy
is to regularly monitor blood levels of homocysteine.
Current estimates are that 30 to 40% of arterial disease
is related to high levels of homocysteine.
A Physicians Guide To Natural Health
Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 220
Vitamin B may help for premenstrual or mid-menstrual cycle
acne. Coexisting gum problems suggest the need for folic
acid.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 988
[For] pins and needles in the legs, take folic acid and
B-12.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 1100
Take 5 grams Vitamin C, 1 gram Calcium. 1/2 gram
Magnesium, 100 mg. B-Complex, extra B6, B-12. and folic
acid (for severe depression, requires Vitamin C for
absorption).
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 800
Find relief in folic acid. One study found that women who
experienced problems with constipation had low levels of
the B vitamin folic acid in their blood. When the women
began taking folic acid supplements, all of their symptoms
subsided. Try taking up to 5,000 micrograms a day until
the condition subsides, advises clinical nutritionist
Shari Lieberman, Ph.D. But check with your doctor first,
since dosages of folic acid over 1,000 micrograms should
only be taken under medical supervision.
Blended Medicine by Michael Castleman,
page 11
Herpes may be helped overnight by chewing folic acid with
500 mg. L-Lysine twice daily, and Zinc tablets.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 455
If agitation or hyperactivity is seen, it is recommended
that folic acid should be given in the amount of two 800
microgram tablets for each 125 mg of DMG taken.
Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V
Kendall PhD, page 116
Disease prevention with folic
acid
Folic acid, a B vitamin, is now known to prevent neural
tube defects like spina bifida, a serious abnormality of
early fetal development. Unfortunately, by the time most
women learn they are pregnant, the critical period has
already passed. A major source of folic acid is the cooked
greens recommended in the program (another is orange
juice). If you are contemplating pregnancy or think there
is any possibility that you could get pregnant, for
insurance take a daily B-complex vitamin supplement
providing 400 micrograms of folic acid.
8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew
Weil MD, page 222
Women taking 400 mg of folic acid also have a decreased
risk of heart attack and protection against Alzheimer's
Disease and stroke. After 15 years of 400 mg of folic acid
there is a 75% reduction in the number of women who get
colon cancer.
A Physicians Guide To Natural Health
Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 19
According to University of Washington researchers, 13,500
to 50,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease could be
prevented every year if everyone took folic acid (the
supplement form of folate) every day. All you need is 200
micrograms a day.
Anti-Aging Prescriptions by James
Duke PhD, page 145
SPINA BIFIDA. Failure of the spinal bones to close over
nerves arising from the lower end of the spinal cord. May
cause paralysis of the legs and incontinence. Associated
with poverty, bad housing and is more common in Celtic
races and among the sikhs. Most common cause is folic acid
deficiency. Prevention only. A woman of childbearing age
should increase her consumption of food rich in folic
acid, such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, green beans,
oranges, potatoes, wholemeal bread, yeast extract. New
evidence suggests health is determined before birth by a
mother's condition during pregnancy. The UK Department of
Health advises 400 micrograms (0.4mg) folic acid until the
twelfth week of pregnancy.
Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal
Medicine by Thomas Bartram, page 25
Perhaps as much as 30 percent of all heart disease is
directly caused by high homocysteine levels, he says.
That's the bad news. The good news is that three B
vitamins—folic acid, B6, and B12—can help convert
homocysteine to methionine or cystine, thus protecting
your heart. Dr. Baum recommends taking 800 to 1,000
micrograms of folic acid, 400 micrograms of vitamin B12,
and 50 milligrams of vitamin B6 daily.
Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb,
page 337
...Other nutrients may be equally critical to the
prevention of osteoporosis. "Vitamin K, silicon, boron,
folic acid, magnesium, and manganese all play a role in
bone building and need to be consumed through diet or
supplements," he says. To prevent osteoporosis, you must
get sufficient levels and the proper ratio of these bone
nutrients.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 840
Folic acid, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables,
nuts, and whole grains, can prevent neural tube defects in
fetuses.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 866
Greens are high in vitamins and minerals, including iron
and calcium in forms that the body can absorb and use more
readily than supplements. For example, they are a major
source of folic acid (folate), a B vitamin that regulates
protein metabolism and offers significant protection
against coronary heart disease. ("Folate" and "foliage"
share the same root.)
8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew
Weil MD, page 141
Eat at least eight servings of fruits and vegetables each
day. These high-fiber, low-fat foods are typically rich in
folic acid and other B vitamins, which reduce the risk for
heart disease by helping to prevent arterial blood clots.
Bottom Line Yearbook 2002 by Bottom
Line Personnel, page 331
The leafy green that Popeye made famous is among the best
plant sources of folate. All you need is 200 micrograms a
day. You can get more than that from 1/2 cup of spinach
(or lentils, pinto beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, or
sunflower seeds) or a cup or two of spinach soup. What a
pleasant way to stave off stroke and heart attack! Of
course, spinach and beans aren't the only great sources of
folate. Others include parsley, cabbage, asparagus,
broccoli, brussels sprouts, endive, okra, avocado,
peanuts, sunflower seeds, and orange juice.
Anti-Aging Prescriptions by James
Duke PhD, page 145
A major source of folic acid is the cooked greens
recommended in the program (another is orange juice).
8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew
Weil MD, page 222
Beetroot is rich in potassium, folic acid, and the
antioxidant glutathione.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 173
Legumes: Peas and beans, such as kidney, lima, soybean,
navy, black, and lentils, are loaded with protein, folic
acid, and amino acids.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 192
Diets rich in folic acid and B vitamins would turn out to
have such powerful benefits for the heart that they could
outweigh such "sins" as moderate red meat intake. Could
the public be blamed for its confusion?
Betrayal Of Trust By Laurie Garrett,
page 394
Folic acid—This substance protects against cervical cancer
and is necessary for proper synthesis of RNA and DNA. It
is found in beets, cabbage, dark leafy vegetables, eggs,
dairy products, citrus fruits, and most fish.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 591
Dietary folate sources include leafy and dark green
vegetables, citrus fruits, cereals, beans, poultry, and
egg yolks, but free folic acid occurs only in supplements.
Britannica Encyclopedia Volume One,
page 674
Folic acid [is] found in whole grains, chickpeas,
soybeans, spinach, broccoli, and cabbage)…
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 745
Probiotics help suppress the growth of yeast, improve
digestion by increasing the production of some enzymes,
produce acids that fight bacteria, and manufacture
nutrients such as vitamins K, Bi, B2, B3, B12, and folic
acid.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 908
Foods rich in folic acid include spinach and other dark
green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and whole
wheat.
Blended Medicine by Michael Castleman,
page 10
Many women have also long esteemed certain wild mushrooms,
which some thought to be special gifts from Mother Earth.
As we now know, naturally grown mushrooms (as opposed to
commercial mushrooms grown in the dark) contain folic
acid, which helps to prevent birth defects. These
delicious and abundant choices, which do not have any
poisonous look-alikes, can be eaten when they are
underripe.
American Indian Healing Arts by
E.Barrie Kavasch and Karen Baar, page 146
Folic acid deficiencies
Folic acid may be the most common vitamin deficiency in
the world, since more people are choosing animal foods
(poor source of folic acid) over plant foods. The name,
folic acid, comes from the Latin term "folium", meaning
foliage, since dark green leafy vegetables are a rich
source of folic acid. Other good sources of folic acid
include brewer's yeast, legumes, asparagus, oranges,
cabbage, root vegetables and whole grains. Since folic
acid is essential for all new cell growth, disturbances in
folic acid metabolism are far reaching, including heart
disease (due to more homocysteine in the blood), birth
defects, immune suppression, cancer, premature senility
and a long list of other conditions. Without adequate
folate in the diet, cell growth is like a drunk driver
heading down the highway—more likely to do some harm than
not.
Beating Cancer With Nutrition by
Patrick Quillin, page 180
Birth Control Pills: These pills produce folic acid
deficiency. Where there is a lack of folic acid,
homocysteine blood levels rise and this is associated with
osteoporosis.
A Physicians Guide To Natural Health
Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 130
Men Need folic acid too. Low folic acid levels in men are
associated with low sperm count. A recent study has led
investigators to hypothesize that low folic acid could
also damage the DNA that sperm carry—which could lead to
chromosomal damage in a fetus. Self-defense: Eat plenty of
folate-rich fruits and vegetables and fortified grain
products.
Bottom Line Yearbook 2004 by Bottom
Line Personnel, page 334
B12 anemia is often accompanied by folic acid anemia. One
of the reasons folic acid is important is that it fosters
healthy prenatal development: It aids in the prevention of
birth defects, such as those of the neural tube, and is
crucial for proper cell production in the growing fetus.
Folic acid is easily consumed by heat; hence, diets that
consist primarily of cooked foods, with few raw foods
included, often result in this type of deficiency. In
addition, young children may develop a folic acid
deficiency if they are given goat's milk. (Although
superior to cow's milk in many ways, goat's milk lacks
folic acid.) Teenagers and adults who are vegetarians may
also fall victim to this form of anemia if they do not
carefully balance their diets. Finally, folic acid anemia
can be induced by alcoholism, which completely drains the
body of this nutrient, and by the consumption of certain
prescription drugs, such as oral contraceptives and
anticancer drugs.
Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural
Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 32
Experts have estimated that up to 20% of all senility in
older adults is merely a long term deficiency of folic
acid and vitamin B-12. The RDA of folate is 200 meg for
adults and 400 meg for pregnant women, although the Center
for Disease Control has recommended that 800 meg of folic
acid would prevent most cases of spinal bifida. Without
adequate folic acid in the body, there is a buildup of
homocysteine in the blood, which probably generates 10% or
more of the 1 million cases of heart disease each year in
the U.S.
Beating Cancer With Nutrition by
Patrick Quillin, page 180
Deficiencies of folic acid and vitamin B12 may cause some
cases of recurrent canker sores, says Flora Parsa Stay,
D.D.S., a dentist in Oxnard, California. If you have
recurrent sores, she recommends taking 400 micrograms of
folic acid and 200 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily.
Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb,
page 142
Persons with AIDS are often deficient in folic acid,
selenium, zinc, and iron.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 497
Deficiencies in vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid can
trigger such neurological changes as a drop in alertness
and memory ability as well as numbness and tingling in the
legs.
BioMarkers by Williams Evans PhD and
Irwin H Rosenberg MD, page 250
Reduced levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and amino
acids have been tentatively linked with Alzheimer's,
including folic acid, niacin (vitamin B3), thiamin
(vitamin Bi), vitamins Be, B12, C, D, and E, magnesium,
selenium, zinc, and tryptophan.
Alternative Medicine by Burton
Goldberg, page 524
The elderly generally are deficient in Calories, Protein,
Iron, Vitamins A and C, Calcium, the B-Complex, especially
B-12 and folic acid, and that's with 70% of the elderly in
institutions where the diets are carefully planned.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion,
page 315
Low levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, iron,
and magnesium are some of the most commonly implicated
nutritional influences on depression.
Beat Depression with St John's Wort
by Steven Bratman, page 103
[Folate] anemia resulting from too little folic acid,
needed for red-blood-cell maturation (see erythrocyte).
White-cell and platelet levels are also often low.
Progressive gastrointestinal problems develop. It may
result from poor diet or from malabsorption, cirrhosis of
the liver, or anticonvulsant drugs; it may also occur in
the last three months of pregnancy and in severe hemolytic
anemia (in which red cells break down). The blood profile
resembles that of pernicious anemia. Taking folic acid
causes rapid improvement; an adequate diet cures cases
caused by malnutrition.
Britannica Encyclopedia Volume One,
page 674
Sidenotes
Bizarre! Government of Denmark tells Kellogg's to take
vitamins out of their breakfast cereals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FDA approves obesity drug labeling that promotes the drug
while ignoring side effects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FDA mandated folic acid supplementation in white flour
prevents heart disease and strokes, but not intentionally
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic acid in your diet will help prevent serious birth
defects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic acid supplementation dramatically lowers high blood
pressure risk in women
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic Acid reduces spinal bifida birth defects across
Canadian province, study shows
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More women of childbearing age now take folic acid
supplements to prevent birth defects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study shows fewer pregnant women are taking folic acid
supplements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic acid can protect against Alzheimer's
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More women taking folic acid supplements to protect
against birth defects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pediatric study shows that folic acid has helped to reduce
birth defects in the U.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doctors mislead the public with low-carb diet warning
about folic acid
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stroke victims have high incidences of hip fractures;
folic acid and vitamin B12 help reduce the risk, study
says
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic acid can be good for women’s blood pressure
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folic acid intake of expectant mothers determines cancer
risk of children
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scientists consider the many health benefits of fortifying
flour with folate
