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Folate (Folic Acid) - Vitamin B9: Recommended Amounts

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin found naturally in many foods and added to fortified foods. It helps form DNA and RNA, breaks down homocysteine, and produces healthy red blood cells, playing an important role in growth and development, especially during pregnancy. Folate deficiency is rare but can cause anemia and neurological symptoms, while excess folic acid intake from supplements above 1000 mcg/day may mask vitamin B12 deficiency and potentially damage the nervous system over time. Good dietary sources include dark leafy greens, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, whole grains, liver, seafood, eggs, and fortified foods.

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119 views4 pages

Folate (Folic Acid) - Vitamin B9: Recommended Amounts

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin found naturally in many foods and added to fortified foods. It helps form DNA and RNA, breaks down homocysteine, and produces healthy red blood cells, playing an important role in growth and development, especially during pregnancy. Folate deficiency is rare but can cause anemia and neurological symptoms, while excess folic acid intake from supplements above 1000 mcg/day may mask vitamin B12 deficiency and potentially damage the nervous system over time. Good dietary sources include dark leafy greens, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, whole grains, liver, seafood, eggs, and fortified foods.

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Asdar Dara
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9

Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9, water-soluble and naturally found in many foods. It
is also added to foods and sold as a supplement in the form of folic acid; this form is actually
better absorbed than that from food sources—85% vs. 50%, respectively. Folate helps to form
DNA and RNA and is involved in protein metabolism. It plays a key role in breaking down
homocysteine, an amino acid that can exert harmful effects in the body if it is present in high
amounts. Folate is also needed to produce healthy red blood cells and is critical during
periods of rapid growth, such as during pregnancy and fetal development.

Recommended Amounts

RDA: The Recommended Dietary Allowance for folate is listed as micrograms (mcg) of


dietary folate equivalents (DFE). Men and women ages 19 years and older should aim for 400
mcg DFE. Pregnant and lactating women require 600 mcg DFE and 500 mcg DFE,
respectively. People who regularly drink alcohol should aim for at least 600 mcg DFE of
folate daily since alcohol can impair its absorption.

UL: A Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is the maximum daily dose unlikely to cause
adverse side effects in the general population. The UL for adults for folic acid from fortified
food or supplements (not including folate from food) is set at 1,000 mcg a day. 

Folate and Health


Neural tube defects

Heart disease

Cancer
Dementia and cognitive function

Food Sources

A wide variety of foods naturally contain folate, but the form that is added to foods and
supplements, folic acid, is better absorbed. In January 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration required food manufacturers to add folic acid to foods commonly eaten,
including breads, cereals, pasta, rice, and other grain products, to reduce the risk of neural
tube defects. This program has helped to increase the average folic acid intake by about 100
mcg/day. [38,39] Good sources of folate include:

 Dark green leafy vegetables (turnip greens, spinach, romaine lettuce,


asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli)

 Beans

 Peanuts

 Sunflower seeds

 Fresh fruits, fruit juices

 Whole grains

 Liver

 Seafood

 Eggs

 Fortified foods and supplements

Signs of Deficiency and Toxicity

Deficiency 
A folate deficiency is rare because it is found in a wide range of foods. However, the
following conditions may put people at increased risk:

 Alcoholism. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of folate and speeds the rate
that folate breaks down and is excreted from the body. People with alcoholism also
tend to eat poor-quality diets low in folate-containing foods.

 Pregnancy. The need for folate increases during pregnancy as it plays a role in the
development of cells in the fetus.

 Intestinal surgeries or digestive disorders that cause malabsorption. Celiac


disease and inflammatory bowel disease can decrease the absorption of folate.
Surgeries involving the digestive organs or that reduce the normal level of stomach
acid may also interfere with absorption.

 Genetic variants. People carrying a variant of the gene MTHFR cannot convert


folate to its active form to be used by the body.

Signs of deficiency can include: megaloblastic anemia (a condition arising from a lack of
folate in the diet or poor absorption that produces less red blood cells, and larger in size than
normal); weakness, fatigue; irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; difficulty concentrating;
hair loss; pale skin; mouth sores.

Toxicity

It is extremely rare to reach a toxic level when eating folate from food sources.

However, an upper limit for folic acid is set at 1,000 mcg daily because studies have shown
that taking higher amounts can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. This  deficiency occurs most
often in older adults or those eating a vegan diet in whom a B12 deficiency is more common.
Both folate and B12 are involved in making red blood cells, and a shortage of either can
result in anemia. A person taking high-dosage supplements of folic acid may be able to
correct the anemia and feel better, but the B12 deficiency still exists. In this case, if high
folate intake continues to “hide” the symptoms of B12 deficiency for a long time, a slow but
irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system may occur. If you choose to use a folic
acid supplement, stick with the lower range available of 400 mcg a day or less, as you will
likely obtain additional folic acid from fortified foods like cereals and breads, as well as
natural folate in food.

Overall, the evidence suggests that the amount of folic acid in a typical multivitamin does not
cause any harm—and may help prevent some diseases, especially among people who do not
get enough folate in their diets, and among individuals who drink alcohol.

Did You Know

Folate is also referred to as vitamin B9. Despite the number, there are only eight B
vitamins in total.

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