Folic Acid is not just for Expectant Mothers – It’s For Everyone!

Dr. Michelle Kmiec, Founder OHH

Folic acid is most commonly known for the prevention of spina bifida or anencephaly (a condition in which a baby’s brain doesn’t develop.) So because of this, the recommendation is that all women of childbearing age take 400 mcg of folic acid per day.

What of the rest of us? Oh yes, we get all our nutritional needs via food.

Well, the question is, how can medical “science” be so confident that all nutritional needs can be met by our diet? Are they aware of the Standard American Diet (SAD – a very appropriate acronym I might add!), which is riddled with pesticides, chemicals, food dyes, artificial flavoring, and sugars, and is literally stripped of any nutritional value!

Let’s just talk about the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) of vitamin B9 (folic acid). In order to reach the minimal RDA of folic acid, which is 400 mcg, you’d have to eat at more vegetables than you think. Even if you ate one serving of spinach, one serving of asparagus, AND one serving of green peas, you still wouldn’t reach the minimum target of 400 mcg of folic acid!

However, you’d have a real shot at reaching and surpassing that target goal of 400 mcg if you ate chicken livers, which packs nearly 800 mcg in one serving! Of course, how many people truly eat three servings of vegetables per day, let alone meat organs?

But is folic acid really that important? You bet it is!

Folic acid is considered to be a major player in lowering homocysteine level in the blood. This is important because high homocysteine levels in the blood are now linked with cardiovascular disease, significantly increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. For more info, please refer to Cardiovascular Disease Linked to High Homocysteine Levels.

(And don’t forget the third most common form of anemia – Megaloblastic anemia that is caused by a folic acid deficiency)

Let’s say you do consume the minimum recommended amount of folic acid, is minimal equal to optimal? As vegetables age (diminishing freshness), along with processing, and cooking, can significantly lower the amount of folic acid. As much as 70-90%! And adding to this, gastrointestinal issues and other nutritional deficiencies such as Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), and especially Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) can severely disrupt folic acid absorption.

Isn’t it time that folic acid is known for more than just a prenatal vitamin!

I think so, don’t you?!

Other Related Articles

• Cardiovascular Disease Linked to High Homocysteine Levels
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Epidemic
• Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency
• Is Vitamin B12 TOXIC?