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Women/Deficiency/Heart

Folic Acid

Vitamin B9 needed for DNA synthesis and fetal development, most useful before pregnancy and for adults with low folate intake.

Folic Acid

Folic Acid

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Caution
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Quick Take

Essential if you could become pregnant or are low in folate; otherwise a basic 400 mcg dose is usually enough.

Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9 used in supplements and fortified foods; natural folate occurs in leafy greens, legumes, citrus, and liver. It carries one-carbon units needed for DNA synthesis, red-blood-cell production, and homocysteine recycling. Best-supported uses are preventing neural-tube defects in early pregnancy, correcting folate deficiency and megaloblastic anemia, and lowering homocysteine. Most useful for women who may become pregnant and people with low intake, alcohol use, malabsorption, or folate-depleting medicines.

Proven Benefits

01
Prevents neural tube defects
02
Corrects folate deficiency
03
Reverses megaloblastic anemia
04
Lowers homocysteine (heart marker)
05
May reduce stroke risk
06
May lower other birth defect risk

Protocol

Amount
400 mcg
Frequency
Once daily
When
Any time of day — consistency matters more than timing; take with food if it upsets your stomach.

Onset Time

Days to weeks for folate status; 4-8 weeks for anemia markers

Who Should Consider

Women trying to conceive or in first trimester
Adults with low leafy-green or legume intake
People with confirmed low serum or RBC folate
People with alcohol use or restrictive diets
People with celiac disease, IBD, or malabsorption
People taking folate-depleting medicines

Food Sources

  • Lentils (~180 mcg per 1/2 cup cooked)
  • Spinach (~130 mcg per 1/2 cup cooked)
  • Black beans (~120 mcg per 1/2 cup cooked)
  • Asparagus (~130 mcg per 1/2 cup cooked)
  • Avocado (~80 mcg per 1/2 fruit)
  • Fortified breakfast cereal (~100-400 mcg per serving)

How It Works

The active folate coenzymes donate one-carbon units needed to make DNA, RNA, and new cells. That is why deficiency affects rapidly dividing tissues such as bone marrow and the developing embryo. With vitamin B12, folate also remethylates homocysteine to methionine, lowering circulating homocysteine.

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