Folic Acid- should women take or not in Pregnancy? @Hormonalwings

DON’T TAKE FOLIC ACID

You may be thinking, wait, what? Don’t we need folic acid? Truth is that some forms might not be ideal for everyone.?

Folic Acid

Folate is a naturally occurring B vitamin, necessary for function on a cellular level and important for daily detoxification. While there are many problems that can occur in our bodies without enough folate, it is especially important for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. Folate plays a key role in preventing a specific category of birth defects, called neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

CDC urges all women of reproductive age to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid each day, in addition to consuming food with folate from a varied diet, to help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).

Folic Acid is the synthetic (manmade) form of folate. Interestingly, not everyone can use folic acid in its synthetic form. There is a form of genetic mutation, on the MTHFR gene, that determines our ability to change folic acid into the form of folate that our body needs. It is estimated that for about 30-40% of us, too much of this type of folic acid can actually harm our cells and prevent our natural detoxification system from working.

I generally don’t make recommendations based on genetics. This is one of those subjects where we “don’t know what we don’t know”. The genetic code is so complex and scientists are continuing to make new discoveries. But here’s the scoop on avoiding folic acid and consuming folate – it’s easy to do and there is no harm to it. You don’t need to know if you have the MTHFR genetic mutation. In my opinion, better safe than sorry. It’s the advice I give my own patients, whether or not we’ve tested for the gene.

HOW TO GET FOLATE ??

Eat lots of whole foods. Veggies such as leafy green vegetables, asparagus, beets, brussel sprouts, and broccoli are high in folate and other vitamins and so are beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. Citrus fruits, avocados, bananas, and melons are also good sources, and, if you consume animal products, liver.

Why folic acid is important before and during pregnancy ?

When the baby is developing early during pregnancy, folic acid helps form the neural tube. Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida). Women of reproductive age need 400 mcg of folic acid every day.

All women of reproductive age should get 400 mcg of folic acid every day to get enough folic acid to help prevent some birth defects because About half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned, and Major birth defects of the baby’s brain or spine occur very early in pregnancy (3-4 weeks after conception), before most women know they are pregnant.

When taking folic acid, a higher dose than 400 mcg of folic acid each day is not necessarily better to prevent neural tube defects, unless a doctor recommends taking more due to other health conditions.

When planning to become pregnant, women who have already had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect should consult with their healthcare provider. CDC recommends that these women consume 4,000 mcg of folic acid each day one month before becoming pregnant and through the first 3 months of pregnancy.

When to start taking folic acid?

Every woman of reproductive age needs to get folic acid every day, whether she is planning to get pregnant or not, to help make new cells. The terms “folate” and “folic acid” are often used interchangeably, even though they are different. Folate is a general term to describe many different types of vitamin B9.

Types of folate can include

• Dihydrofolate (DHF)
• Tetrahydrofolate (THF)
• 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (5, 10-Methylene-THF)
• 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-Methyl-THF or 5-MTHF)

Food fortification is a way to add vitamins or minerals, or both, to foods. Some rice, pasta, bread, and breakfast cereals are fortified with folic acid. These foods are labeled “enriched.” Folic acid is a specific type of folate that does not generally occur naturally.

CDC recommends that women of reproductive age who could become pregnant consume at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate every day. However, it’s difficult to get 400 mcg of folate through diet alone. You can get 400 mcg of folic acid each day by taking a vitamin with folic acid in it, eating fortified foods, or a combination of the two, in addition to consuming a balanced diet rich in natural food folate.

How to get enough folic acid to prevent neural tube defects?

In addition to eating foods with folate from a varied diet, women can get folic acid from Taking a vitamin that has folic acid in it: Most vitamins sold in the United States have the recommended daily amount of folic acid (400 mcg) that women need for the prevention of neural tube defects. Vitamins can be found at most local pharmacy, grocery, or discount stores.

Eating fortified foods:

• You can find folic acid in some breads, breakfast cereals, and corn masa flour.
• Getting a combination of the two: taking a vitamin that has folic acid in it and eating fortified foods.
• If taking folic acid for reasons other than neural tube defect prevention, talk to your healthcare provider.

HOW TO AVOID FOLIC ACID ??

Try not to eat processed foods with added folic acid. Avoiding store bought wheat products could be the most important piece of this puzzle. Since?a law was passed in 1998, all grain product have been fortified with folic acid. It is difficult to find a cake, cookie, loaf of bread or bagel that is doesn’t have added artificial folic acid. Keep this in perspective. Some exposure to folic acid will do not harm. But if you have the MTHFR mutation, aren’t feeling well, or you eat lots of processed and store bought foods, try eliminating them and see if symptoms improve.

For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions Hormonalwings page.

Dr Deeksha Singh

Hormonalwings founder

OBGYN PT

Author of " It's All About Pregnancy"

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