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Folic acid is a B vitamin. Our bodies use it to make new cells. Everyone
needs folic acid. But for women who can get pregnant, it is really
important! If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before she is
pregnant, it can help prevent major birth defects of her baby?s brain and
spine. These birth defects are neural tube defects or NTDs. Women
need to take folic acid every day, starting before they are pregnant to
help prevent NTDs. CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service urge every
woman who could become pregnant to get 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of
synthetic folic acid every day.

What is folic acid and what is folate?
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food. Folic
acid is the synthetic form of folate that is found in supplements and
added to fortified foods.

Folate gets its name from the Latin word "folium" for leaf. A key
observation of researcher Lucy Wills nearly 70 years ago led to the
identification of folate as the nutrient needed to prevent the anemia of
pregnancy. Dr. Wills demonstrated that the anemia could be corrected by
a yeast extract. Folate was identified as the corrective substance in yeast
extract in the late 1930s, and was extracted from spinach leaves in 1941.

Folate helps produce and maintain new cells. This is especially important
during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and
pregnancy. Folate is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks
of cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer].
Both adults and children need folate to make normal red blood cells and
prevent anemia [4]. Folate is also essential for the metabolism of
homocysteine, and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.

What are the sources for folate? Which foods provide folate?

Leafy green vegetables (like spinach and turnip greens), fruits (like citrus
fruits and juices), and dried beans and peas are all natural sources of
folate.

In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published regulations
requiring the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flours,
corn meals, pastas, rice, and other grain products. Since cereals and
grains are widely consumed in the U.S., these products have become a
very important contributor of folic acid to the American diet. A single
serving of many breakfast cereals also has the amount of folic acid that
you need each day. Check the label! Look for cereals that have 100%
daily value (DV) of folic acid in a serving. The following list suggests a
variety of dietary sources of folate:

When can folate deficiency occur?

A deficiency of folate can occur when an increased need for folate is not
matched by an increased intake, when dietary folate intake does not
meet recommended needs, and when folate excretion increases.
Medications that interfere with the metabolism of folate may also increase
the need for this vitamin and risk of deficiency.

Medical conditions that increase the need for folate or result in increased
excretion of folate include: pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding),
alcohol abuse, malabsorption, kidney dialysis, liver disease and certain
anemias.

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"Victoria crater" Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell  SPACE
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