How to Benefit From Folic Acid
Folic acid, also known as Vitamin B9, is an extremely important vitamin, and it is a particularly important vitamin for pregnant women to take on a daily basis throughout their pregnancy. Read on to learn specific folic acid benefits.
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Instructions
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Why is folic acid so important for pregnant women to take? It aids in the development of the baby's neural tubes, spinal cord and brain. Pregnant women who do not ingest enough folic acid (400 mgs per day) throughout their pregnancies, through both the foods they consume and the health supplements they take, are more likely to give birth to children with certain types of birth defects, such as spina bifida. Researchers also suspect that folic acid can reduce the rate of other birth defects, such as certain congenital heart defects and cleft lip. However, much more research needs to be conducted to confirm these hypotheses about folic acid and other birth defects.
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However, pregnant women are not the only ones who need to be sure they are ingesting enough folic acid on a daily basis. Everyone needs to consume folic acid every day because folic acid plays an important role in building and fortifying red blood cells and can help to prevent certain forms of anemia.
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An additional health benefit of folic acid is that it appear to lower the level of a certain amino acid found in human beings called homocysteine, which is associated with strokes and heart disease.
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You can take folic acid in supplement form, or as part of a multivitamin. Folic acid is also found in numerous foods, including whole grain bread, orange juice, green leafy vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals, chicken, citrus fruits, nuts, liver and other foods.
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Tips & Warnings
There is no need to exceed the recommended daily dose of folic acid, as taking too much folic acid can prevent your doctor from detecting a Vitamin B12 deficiency.
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