Also referred to as Folic acid, Folacin and Folate

Is a water soluable vitamin

Is very essential to human growth and development

Helps when cell growth is necessary and that growth must be rapid

One important requirement of folic acid is for the production of red blood cells

Also helps to prevent anemia

Folic Acid is often given in drug form for pregnancy, anemia and other conditons

Sources:

   -    Liver
   -    Yeast
   -    Spinach
   -    Lettuces
   -    Peas
   -    Other vegetables
   -    Some cereal products
   -    Many fruits

Functions
   -    Essential in cell growth
   -    Necessary for DNA bases
   -    Production of Red blood cells
   -    Necessary during pregnancy

Folate Deficiency

   -    Neural Tube Defects – have been closely linked to deficiency
   -    Spina bifida
   -    Anencephaly
   -    Increased risk for heart disease
   -    Increased risk for stroke
   -    Increased risk for some cancers
   -    May have risk for increased fertility
   -    May have decreased memory function
   -    others

***Therefore supplements are often required during pregnancy and some countries have already placed supplements in flour and other foods.

In the United States – The “Food and Drug Adminstration” required foods to start adding folic acids to certain grain products in Janruary 1 of 1998.

Since this development – Neural Tube defects have droped by 25% in the US and by almost 50% in Canada.

Toxicity is a very low risk