Things You Should Know About Folic Acid and Its Limitations

The importance of folic acid is mentioned mainly in connection with pregnancy. During pregnancy, its deficiency can mean certain complications, but on the other hand, its excessive use can harm some individuals.

It is a very sensitive vitamin

Vitamin B, under which folic acid falls, is very delicate. It does not tolerate high temperatures when preparing food in the kitchen. You can destroy up to 90% of the vitamin by cooking, baking, or steaming. Therefore, vegetables rich in folic acid (lettuce, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus) should not be stored and left in the air and light.

If you want to slice it, it is better to tear it instead of cutting it with a knife because it is sensitive to some metals.

It is only effective when transformed

As such, folic acid is insignificant. Only the converted form (so-called folates) is biologically usable and necessary for the organism. The triggering mechanism of folic acid metabolism is the MTHFR enzyme. The optimal daily intake of folic acid is in the amount of 0.2 mg, but a woman who is trying to have a baby and then pregnant should quadruple her intake of folic acid – the recommended daily dose during pregnancy is 800 micrograms.

Every other woman can’t handle it

Every second woman is affected by a genetic defect (MTHFR mutation) and cannot process folic acid. The affected, temperature-unstable MTHFR enzyme is unable to create a sufficient amount of folates from the received folic acid, even by excessive consumption of foods rich in folic acid.

However, there is a substance called Metafolin (5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate), in the form of dietary supplements, which bypasses the dysfunctional enzyme and supplies the body with the necessary active folates.

Reduces premature birth by up to 70%

It has been proven that if a woman takes folic acid more than a year before becoming pregnant and continues to use it during pregnancy, she significantly reduces the probability of premature birth by up to 70%. Folates are also responsible for the healthy development and growth of the baby during the entire pregnancy by influencing the blood supply to the placenta.

With their sufficient level, you will reduce the occurrence of developmental defects, such as clefts of the spine or palate or developmental defects of the urinary and genital organs.

There is also a threat of its lack

Individuals with certain blood and liver diseases, hemodialysis patients, psoriasis sufferers, alcoholics, and people taking medications that flush folic acid out of the body can suffer from folic acid deficiency. Even in these cases, it is recommended to supply folic acid in the form of food supplements.

This is because it is better absorbed into the body (up to 100%), while when taken from food, the absorbability is around 50% due to heat treatment and inappropriate storage.

Its excess is risky

The assumption that excess folic acid is excreted from the body through urine was recently disproved by scientists. On the contrary, they found that the ability of the liver to metabolize synthetic folic acid into natural folate is limited. This means that its excess returns to the bloodstream.

According to scientists, an excess of folic acid greatly increases the risk of developing cancer, for example, colon, lung, or prostate cancer. 

So, even in this case, it is advisable to consult a doctor about use and dosage and take your health into account.

The problem can also arise in individuals affected by pernicious anemia (an autoimmune disease, the consequence of which is a reduced ability to absorb vitamin B12, which manifests itself at a later age). A high level of folic acid can mask this disease (pernicious anemia has the same symptoms as folic acid deficiency) and thus delay its diagnosis.