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Folic Acid Benefits: A Vital Nutrient for Optimal Health

We all know that our bodies require vitamins and minerals. What we don’t always know is that our bodies can make and store supplies of some of these nutrients while being entirely unable to make or store others. Additionally, many of the nutrients we think of as important to health and beauty are actually synthetic. Folic acid is a good example of a synthetic nutrient.

Why would we ingest synthetic nutrients? While it might seem that the answer to such a question is that it makes it easier to meet our daily nutritional needs in that way, the truth is also that some synthetics help to bridge the gap when bioavailability of a particular nutrient is low.

Bioavailability, according to health experts means a few things, but most commonly is “the proportion of a nutrient that is absorbed from the diet and used for normal body functions…[and] is governed by external and internal factors.”

Quite simply, you might ingest plenty of whole foods and yet be deficient in a commonly available nutrient because it has low bioavailability or various internal and external factors influence absorption.

Why do you need folic acid? Folates and folic acid are important for many key bodily and cellular functions and come from B vitamins. In nature, there are different B vitamins, and both folate and folic acid are forms of the same B vitamin – B9. They originate from the same source but are not the same thing.

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Aren’t Folate and Folic Acid the Same?

Folate occurs naturally in vitamin B9 (which is something found in many leafy vegetables). And as the medical experts at Healthline explain, before “entering the bloodstream, the digestive system converts it into the biologically active form of vitamin B9, 5-MTHF.”

Folic acid, on the other hand, is a synthetic form of B9 and is a commonly used supplement. It is widely used because our bodies can more easily absorb and use it, and this is why you see it so often as an addition to lots of popular food products, particularly breakfast cereals.

Without enough of it (meaning when you are deficient in B9), you increase risks of heart disease, stroke, birth defects and the development of certain types of cancer. It is also a compound essential to the creation of new red blood cells and synthesizing DNA nucleotides and amino acids. So, almost anyone is going to benefit from ingesting folic acid whether as a vitamin pill or as an additive to food.

Most medical and nutritional experts agree that it is best to get most of your nutrients through your food, and so a diet with lots of high-folate foods is ideal. These include Brussels sprouts, avocados, leafy greens, and asparagus. Yet, that issue of bioavailability is always a factor to consider if you feel your diet is low in B9 and/or you have a condition that it can help you overcome.

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Who Needs Folic Acid?

We know that folic acid is more bioavailable than other forms of B9 and we learned that it is important for many specific reasons. When diet alone cannot offer adequate supplies, or something in the bodily functions impedes absorption, supplementing the diet with folic acid is wise.

According to one article, “The bioavailability of folic acid is assumed to be 100% when it is ingested as a supplement and 85% in fortified foods,” so it is possible to eat a fortified breakfast cereal and get almost all you need, but an oral supplement may be best if you have a condition that requires adequate supplies.

So, who needs folic acid the most? It is easiest to answer such a question by looking at the many benefits it offers.

What Are the Benefits of a Folic Acid Supplement?

It is common for pregnant women or women planning on conceiving to begin supplementing with many different nutrients, and folic acid is a common one among them. This is because it shows a marked reduction in neural tube defects in newborns. As one expert indicated NTDs “are common complex congenital malformations of the central nervous system (CNS). These result from failure of the neural tube closure during the formation of the embryo.”

Since this can cause a child to live with a long list of possible disabilities, it is crucial that any pregnant woman ensure her supplies of folic acid are at the appropriate levels (400 micrograms every day).

Yet, women in child-bearing years and pregnant women are not the only ones who benefit. The others who should consider folic acid supplements include:

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• Those at risk for cardiovascular diseases – It is known that folic acid reduces the thickness of arteries and studies have shown that there are definitive links between a key amino acid and folic acid in helping to balance them and prevent damages that linked to heart disease
• Children and women at risk for anemia – Those with a folic acid deficiency are shown to be around 40% more likely to develop anemia. This has to do, again, with folate’s role in DNA synthesis.
• Those worried about certain forms of cancer – Folic acid is important in DNA synthesis, cell differentiation and other similar processes. When they do not proceed as they should, the development of some cancers is possible. As that same medical expert noted, “Cancer is thought to arise from DNA damage and faulty/uncontrolled gene expression. Due to its role in DNA and RNA synthesis and methylation, it is possible that insufficient folate intake contributes to cancer.” Studies have found connections between folate deficiency and cancer and that food sources and supplementation may help combat some at risk for breast or colorectal cancer.
• Those struggling with anxiety and depression – Methylation reactions are one of the primary functions of folate, and methylation is what makes most biomolecules biologically active. Nowhere is this more important than in the central nervous system, where neurotransmitters must be methylated after they are synthesized if they are to be effective. Folic acid deficiency may worsen or even prolong anxiety and depression. Things are made worse by the fact that many people experiencing oxidative stress in the brain have elevated levels of homocysteine, and folic acid also helps to decrease these levels.
• Those losing or at risk for losing their hair – Medical experts are not quite sure why certain forms of hair loss occur, including alopecia and certain types of male pattern baldness. However, those deficient in folic acid and B12 have also frequently been found to struggle with hair loss issues. This may be due to the fact that folate helps in red blood cell production and oxygen transport along with the development of cells, including hair cells.

• Those with kidney issues – Homocysteine (that amino acid in the blood) may sometimes over accumulate and cause hyperhomocyseinemia. This is a common problem for those with kidney issues. Folic acid, as we have learned, helps to counteract it and convert it to a harmless amino acid. Yet, deficiency in folate can leave homocysteine levels unchecked. Supplementing reduces the level, normalizes it and help reduce the severity of kidney problems.
• Those with polycystic ovarian syndrome – Around 15% of women of child-bearing ages struggle with this painful condition. While hormone therapy can help, as well as lifestyle and dietary changes, supplements are also known for improving conditions. The typical regimen includes folic acid along with several vitamins and minerals. A lower fat diet is also known to support the benefits of folic acid supplementation and PCOS.
• Men with fertility issues – There are many reasons a man might become infertile, and abnormal folate metabolism is among them. Deficiency is also a cause, and because folate is also crucial to DNY synthesis and the methylation processes, it has strong links to male fertility. One study noted that men “with infertility were found to have significantly lower serum folate levels, and that zinc sulfate supplements increased sperm counts by up to 75%.
• Those with gum disease – Folic acid used orally has been shown to reduce gingivitis, a condition that occurs just before full-blown gum disease sets in.

So, now that we see how many of us can benefit from folic acid supplements (basically everyone should consider taking them), it is a good idea to learn about recommended daily levels.

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What is the RDA or Recommended Daily Allowance on Folic Acid?

While you want to aim to obtain your RDA of folate from premium food sources (we’ll look at a list of the very best food sources below), you can take a supplement. According to the Food and Nutritional Board, the RDA for folate is as follows:

• Birth to 6 months – 65 mcg for male/female
• 7–12 months – 80 mcg DFE for male/female     
• 1–3 years – 150 mcg DFE for male/female                     
• 4–8 years – 200 mcg DFE for male/female                     
• 9–13 years – 300 mcg DFE for male/female      
• 14–18 years – 400 mcg DFE for male/female (600 mcg DFE for pregnant women and 500 mcg DFE for lactating women)
• 19+ years- 400 mcg for male/female (600 mcg DFE for pregnant women and 500 mcg DFE for lactating women)

(NOTE: 1 mcg DFE = 1 mcg folate from food/ 0.6 mcg folic acid from fortified foods or dietary supplements consumed with foods/ 0.5 mcg folic acid from dietary supplements taken on an empty stomach)

Now, that is for food or supplement-based folate. If it is a dietary supplement of folic acid, the numbers change a bit to:

• Birth to 6 months – 39 mcg for male/female
• 7–12 months – 48 mcg for male/female  
• 1–3 years – 90 mcg for male/female                    
• 4–8 years – 120 mcg for male/female                  
• 9–13 years – 180 mcg for male/female   
• 14–18 years – 240 mcg for male/female (360 mcg for pregnant women and 300 mcg for lactating women)
• 19+ years- 240 mcg for male/female (360 mcg for pregnant women and 300 mcg for lactating women)

Keep in mind that folate and folic acid are water soluble and your body passes out what it cannot use, which is why daily supplementation is needed. Even then, however, you might become deficient.

At any time, your body should have around 15 to 30 milligrams of folate, but if it is deficient, you may suffer some obvious signs. These include:

• Developing health issues that folic acid is known to prevent, including kidney trouble, anemia, heart disease, and so on
• Experiencing prolonged periods of anxiety or depression
• Fertility issues
• Mouth ulcers
• Weakness, fatigue and lethargy
• Shortness of breath
• Skin pigmentation changes

If any of these signs are present, it could be a sign of folate/folic acid deficiency and an indication that a dietary supplement is a good idea.

Foods High in Natural Folic Acid and Folate

Below are the National Institutes for Health foods rated as the best sources of natural folate and serving sizes ideal to boost your natural stores of this crucial nutrient:

• Beef liver, braised, 3 ounces
• Spinach, boiled, ½ cup
• Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, ½ cup
• Breakfast cereals, fortified with 25% of the DV†
• Asparagus, boiled, 4 spears
• Brussels sprouts, frozen, boiled, ½ cup
• Lettuce, romaine, shredded, 1 cup
• Avocado, raw, sliced, ½ cup
• Spinach, raw, 1 cup
• Rice, white, medium-grain, cooked, ½ cup†
• Broccoli, chopped, frozen, cooked, ½ cup
• Mustard greens, chopped, frozen, boiled, ½ cup
• Green peas, frozen, boiled, ½ cup
• Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup
• Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, ½ cup†
• Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons
• Tomato juice, canned, ¾ cup
• Crab, Dungeness, 3 ounces
• Orange juice, ¾ cup
• Bread, white, 1 slice†
• Turnip greens, frozen, boiled, ½ cup
• Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce
• Orange, fresh, 1 small
• Papaya, raw, cubed, ½ cup
• Banana, 1 medium
• Yeast, baker’s, ¼ teaspoon
• Egg, whole, hard-boiled, 1 large
• Cantaloupe, raw, cubed, ½ cup
• Vegetarian baked beans, canned, ½ cup
• Fish, halibut, cooked, 3 ounces
• Milk, 1% fat, 1 cup
• Ground beef, 85% lean, cooked, 3 ounces
• Chicken breast, roasted, 3 ounces

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If you are considering the folic acid benefits as a way to improve the condition of your hair and nails, you can also use a biotin supplement. As one expert said, “Taking folic acid with biotin, however, can make a huge difference when it comes to hair growth. These vitamins are hair food that will boost the rate at which your hair grows. You will notice a visible boost in growth within a couple of months of starting the supplements.” You can also increase your intake of nuts, grains, legumes and meat. Zinc can be paired with biotin and folic acid to also increase hair and nail health, with eggs, oysters, spinach, sweet potatoes and chickpeas ideal food sources.

So, whether it is for health and beauty, to prevent serious disease or chronic illness or ensure a healthier pregnancy (as well as other medical issues), folic acid is essential and easy to add to the diet or enjoy as a supplement. We hope you use this advice to take advantage of the folic acid benefits you can gain.

More Great Folic Acid Benefits Resources:

How To Use Folic Acid For Hair Growth

4 HEALTH PERKS OF FOLATE AND FOLIC ACID EVERY WOMAN CAN BENEFIT FROM—PREGNANT OR NOT

30 Amazing Benefits Of Vitamin B For Skin, Hair And Health