 What is Folic Acid?
|
|
Why is Folic Acid consumption important? |
|
Who should take Folic Acid? |
| When
should you take Folic Acid?
|
- a B vitamin
- also available as folate (the natural form of the vitamin found in foods)
- found in dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus; dry beans; orange juice; fortified foods such as cereals; and in multivitamins
- Helps with cell growth and development
- Helps in the production of red blood cells
- Has shown to reduce the risk of some neural tube defects (a form of birth defects)
- Is found to prevent heart disease, stroke and certain cancers (especially of the colon)
- Everyone: children, women, men and seniors
- Women of childbearing age especially should take the recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day
- Children should take this vitamin because it helps in their growth and development
- For men and seniors it is useful for new and developing cells and has some effect on reducing the risk of some chronic diseases
- Every day
- Folic acid intake every day is essential for women of childbearing age, especially women planning to become pregnant so as to reduce the risk of birth defect formations during the first weeks of pregnancy (women usually discover the pregnancy status after this crucial period)