Falling short on folate

A recent study suggests that American women, blacks and Hispanics in particular, are not getting enough folate (or its synthetic analog folic acid).

Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that is important, among other things, for the prevention of neural tube defects in the developing fetus. This relationship is sufficiently strong that several countries, the US included, have instigated mandatory fortification of refined grains (that's white flour) with folic acid. So, you can see why it makes headlines that women of childbearing age still aren't getting "enough".

Interestingly enough, folic acid fortification hasn't really been all that and a bag of chips for our nation's health. The numbers of neural tube defects are down, sure, but not as much as we'd expect from wholesale fortification. Folic acid fortification also is associated with lowering levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is potentially a good thing as high levels of homocysteine are associated with vascular disease. However, on the other side of the fence is some evidence that high levels of folic acid may be associated with some types of cancer, and there is a vocal contingency that alleges that folic acid fortification will be the ultimate demise of people with a vitamin B-12 deficiency. (Why? I'll tell you in another column. I promise). Folate from normal dietary sources doesn't appear to have the same "dire consequences".

Still, folate is good for you, it's good for your blood, it's good for your brain. As I said, there appears to be no negative consequences in getting folate in its natural form from foods.

What you can do today

To avoid many of the possible problems with folic acid, you should get no more than 1000 mcg (that's micrograms NOT milligrams--you only need tiny tiny amounts).

If you live in a country with grain fortification, you can get some of your daily requirement of 400 mcg folic acid from breads and other foods made with wheat flour. In a country that doesn't have fortification (like the UK? Though that's soon to change), eat whole grain breads--folate is removed in the refining process. Eat more green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli, dried beans and peas, or even some calves liver.