How much Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) should I take daily?
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Daily Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) Intake Recommendations
Importance of Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
Vitamin B9, commonly known as folic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin essential for numerous bodily functions, including DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation, as well as amino acid metabolism. It is particularly crucial during periods of rapid growth such as pregnancy and fetal development.
General Daily Recommendations
For the general population, the recommended daily intake of folic acid is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day. This dosage is considered sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of most individuals and to prevent folic acid deficiency.
Special Considerations for Women of Childbearing Age
Preconception and Pregnancy
Women who are planning to conceive or are in the early stages of pregnancy are advised to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. This supplementation should begin at least six months before conception and continue through the first trimester of pregnancy. This practice has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects.
High-Risk Groups
For women with a history of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects, a higher dosage of 4 milligrams (mg) per day is recommended. This higher dosage aims to further reduce the risk of recurrence of these defects.
Upper Tolerable Limit
In countries with mandatory folic acid food fortification programs, women taking additional folic acid supplements may exceed the upper tolerable limit of 1000 mcg per day. This limit was established to avoid masking a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to neurological complications. Therefore, it is crucial for women in these regions to monitor their total folic acid intake from all sources to avoid potential adverse effects.
Folic Acid and Stroke Prevention
Supplementation with folic acid, particularly in combination with vitamins B6 and B12, has been shown to lower blood homocysteine levels and reduce the risk of stroke by approximately 10% in populations without mandatory folic acid fortification. However, in regions where food fortification is already in place, additional supplementation may not provide significant benefits in stroke prevention.
Conclusion
The recommended daily intake of folic acid varies depending on individual circumstances. For the general population, 400 mcg per day is sufficient. Women planning to conceive or in early pregnancy should also take 400 mcg daily, with higher doses recommended for those with a history of neural tube defects. It is essential to monitor total folic acid intake, especially in regions with mandatory food fortification, to avoid exceeding the upper tolerable limit and potential adverse effects.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Combined biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12 supplementation given during the transition period to dairy cows: Part I. Effects on lactation performance, energy and protein metabolism, and hormones.
B vitamins for stroke prevention
Women Taking a Folic Acid Supplement in Countries with Mandatory Food Fortification Programs May Be Exceeding the Upper Tolerable Limit of Folic Acid: A Systematic Review
Folic acid, periconceptional multivitamin supplementation and pregnancy: modern aspects
Dose-dependent effects of folic acid on blood concentrations of homocysteine: a meta-analysis of the randomized trials.
The Amount of Folic Acid in Weekly Iron-Folic Acid Supplements Should Be Increased From 0.4 to 2,8 mg to Reduce Neural Tube Defects (NTD)
Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for folate
Weekly may be as efficacious as daily folic acid supplementation in improving folate status and lowering serum homocysteine concentrations in Guatemalan women.
Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.
Folic acid in pregnancy
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