Learn the Basic Benefits and Risks of Folic Acid in Your Diet
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Folic acid has recently been receiving attention, both positive and negative, following a new study by the University of Colorado. Let’s take a closer look at this B vitamin and the role it plays in our overall health.
Folic acid is the man-made form of the water-soluble B9 vitamin, which is found in both supplements and fortified foods. Its naturally occurring counterpart, folate, can be found in a wide variety of foods, including leafy vegetables (spinach and broccoli), asparagus, beans, citrus fruits and melons. Our bodies do not manufacture folate, so it is imperative we take it in through the foods we eat, as this vitamin plays a critical role in cell division. Without the correct amount of folate, cells cannot divide properly. Folate has also proven to help lower homocysteine levels (a cardiovascular risk factor). In addition, preliminary evidence shows folate may help those who struggle with depression respond better to antidepressant medication.
A Necessity for Women in Childbearing Years
However, one of folate’s most well-known benefits is that it dramatically reduces birth defects, especially neural tube defects (defects in a baby’s brain and spine, such as spina bifida and anencephaly). Supplemental folic acid has become a standard for pregnant women, and many doctors recommend that all women in their childbearing years take supplemental folic acid. Many of the birth defects folic acid protects against can begin forming within the first three to four weeks of pregnancy, which is often before a woman knows she is expecting. One study revealed that women who took folic acid for at least a year before getting pregnant cut their chances of delivering early by 50 percent or more.
Until recently, folate deficiency was a fairly common problem in the United States, resulting in thousands of children being born with preventable birth defects. However, in 1998 the Food and Drug Administration began requiring the fortification of cereal and other grain products with folic acid. As a result, the U.S. has seen a decrease in folate deficiency and neural tube defects. If you are wondering if your morning bowl of cereal contains folic acid, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a list of fortified cereals on its website.
New Meta-Analysis
On April 18, 2015, Dr. Tim Byers, Director for Cancer Prevention and Control at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting. He stated that vitamins and supplements may actually cause cancer instead of reducing cancer risk. The media has been abuzz ever since. One of the specific vitamins singled out as a “cancer culprit” was folic acid.
Dr. Byers’ research is in question, as the study was conducted as a meta-analysis (a way of contrasting and combing results from previously conducted studies). Meta-analyses often introduce an unwelcomed bias into the scientific process, as they only include a small fraction of available evidence. It is really at the researcher’s discretion as to which studies he or she chooses to analyze.
The reports on Dr. Byers’ research propose that folic acid in high doses may have detrimental consequences. However what he considers to be a high dose remains unclear. The CDC and many scientific journals recommend 400 mcg of folic acid per day for adults and 500-600 mcg for women who are pregnant or nursing. The tolerable upper intake level is 1,000 mcg. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, noted that “In the United States, the average person intakes about 100 to 150 mcg of folic acid a day from fortified grain products–roughly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of 400 mcg a day.”
Cooper Complete® Based on Proven Science
Cooper Complete® vitamins and supplements are set apart from other brands thanks to our approach to science-based formulation. Dr. Kenneth Cooper and his consultative team of researchers, physicians and registered dietitian nutritionists are constantly reviewing the Cooper Complete® formulations to ensure that they are reflective of the most up-to-date scientific information and are supremely effective for optimal health.
When a perfectly balanced diet of nutrients is not achieved, supplementation can be a great resource. All Cooper Complete® multivitamins contain 200 mcg of folic acid. This allows for some of the recommended amount to be obtained through diet and some through supplementation, ensuring the average person will not receive an intolerably high dose. Additionally, we use a form of folate more readily absorbed (5-methyltetrahydrofolate) than the forms other supplement brands employ.
On the University of Colorado Cancer Blog, Dr. Byers says that even in light of his current research, people should not be afraid of taking vitamins and minerals. “If taken at the correct dosage, multivitamins can be good for you. But there is no substitute for good, nutritional food.”
We agree on both points–eat well, and take the correct supplements. As with all noteworthy supplement studies, we will review Dr. Byers’ research once it is published, and Cooper Complete® consumers can rest assured the supplements they take are safe, effective and beneficial to healthy lifestyle.
For more information about the entire Cooper Complete® line of vitamins and supplements, visit www.coopercomplete.com or call 888.393.2221.
Article provided by Karen Perkins, Account Executive, Cooper Complete.