OK, it’s been years, but I still remember my friend (he’s a doc) telling my then pregnant wife(both no longer true) to take folic acid (Vitamin B9) every day.  (The recommended dose is 400 μg/d.)  Why? Because folate seems to alleviates the risk of neural defects (spina bifida is a prime example) in the fetus.  That’s a good reason.  The problem is that in America, when we tell someone to take a vitamin, they end up taking too much- as “insurance”.  Another vitamin that is recommended to pregnant women is cobalamin  (B12).  These water-soluble vitamins (B9, B12) both have interdependent roles in the production of nucleic acids; they help in the synthesis and repair of DNA.  On top of this, if both vitamins are deficient, homocysteine levels can increase, which can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases.  But, unlike cobalamin, folate does not accumulate in the liver and the kidney; it is excreted in urine, if the kidney are healthy.  So why do we care if we take too much folate?  (Obviously, cobalamin is an issue.  It was a recommended drug for asthma patients- until the accumulation issue became paramount; it is no longer a staple prescription item for that malady.)  If one eats spinach (which my ex- did as a component  in our salads every day), does one really need the drug supplement?  And, what about the fact that America “fortifies” its flours with folate?  That (fortification) means folic acid is incorporated in the pastas and cereals we eat.  The problem of overdosing on folic acid then becomes very large.

Ingesting much more than 400 micrograms daily of folic acid is NOT a very good idea.  The right dosage does its work by precluding cancers, such as colon and prostate cancer.  But, excessive levels are known to promote cancers!  After all, both methotrexate and fluorouracil (potent chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drugs) act by blocking folic acid functionality.  When leukemia patients are provided folic acid supplements, their disease virtually explodes. Moreover, taking too much folic acid means one cannot determine if there are problems with Vitamin B12 in the body (anemia, cognitive impairment issues).

As we stated above, the two vitamins (cobalamin and folate, B12, and B9)  both use similar pathways in their metabolism. The simple result is that eating balanced meals is the best way to obtain these vitamins we need (and almost every other nutrient, while we’re discussing this topic).

We do want to protect the fetus, though.  So, if you doctor is worried about the level of your folic acid intake- take the recommended dosage of 400 μg in a pill- but NO more.  You will obtain additional folic acid in your diet- but, you probably won’t exceed the 1000 μg maximum suggested dosage. Have a healthy pregnancy- and a healthy baby.

Share this: