What Is Folic Acid?
Folic acid, also called folate or folacin, is a B vitamin with a solid reputation for protecting against birth defects and heart disease. If adults were to get an adequate amount of this vitamin, it is estimated that 50,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease could be prevented each year in the United States alone. Moreover, common birth defects could be cut nearly in half. Other ailments, such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, and certain types of cancer may respond to the effects of folic acid as well.
- Combat depression. Because folic acid is often deficient in those who are depressed, a supplement may help. Studies of depressed people with low blood levels of folic acid show that taking it in supplement form can improve the effectiveness of antidepressants. Folic acid also appears to reduce the high levels of homocysteine associated with some forms of depression. Taking folic acid as part of a B-complex vitamin supplement is often recommended to combat depression.
Because the body can't retain this water-soluble vitamin for long--any excess is excreted in the urine--many people have a folic acid deficiency. To make matters worse, half of the folic acid content in foods can be lost through cooking, processing, or long-term storage. This makes supplements (particularly a high-potency multivitamin or a B-vitamin complex) one of the most practical ways to get enough of this vital nutrient.