Too much folic acid?
I'm sure I could research this 'til the cows come home, but I have a question for the sages of the Internet. I know a gal is supposed to take folic acid every day when (and before) they're pregnant, but is it possible to take too much?
Folic acid is recommended for pregnant women or women who plan on becoming pregnant to help with spinal and brain development. Although many foods contain folic acid pregnant women are generally prescribed prenatal vitamins containing a good amount of folic acid to take in addition to a healthy diet.
For a while I was taking folic acid supplements, a one a day. Then, when I got pregnant, I got a prescription for prenatals which I started taking right away. I sort of forgot one day and took both. I would assume, and, really, it's more like hope, that I didn't get too much folic acid. Getting too much of certain vitamins and minerals can be harmful, while others, as I understand it, you just tinkle out if they're in excess.
So, any thoughts on this? I'm sure the web knows all, but thought I'd springboard that idea off you guys first to see what you think.
Pic of vitamins by DRB62.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mamaloo 3-06-2008 @ 11:13PM
I've never heard of any adverse affects from taking a double dose of folate/folic acid.
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design-sf 3-06-2008 @ 11:42PM
I know folate helps to regulate homocystein levels in people. High homocystein levels are associated with many vascular diseases and recently alzheimers.
When I was prego they found a genetic mutation that didn't allow the circulation of folate or reduced it. I was prescribed extra folic acid as a precaution. At no time was I told that the extra folic acid would be a problem. I assume it just gets passed through when it's not absorbed.
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Jenn 3-07-2008 @ 12:06AM
From what I can find, it is possible to have negative effects if you take too much, but they are limited to basically making mom feel icky -- no effect on fetuses (fetii?) that I can find reference too.
And the dose at which you'd feel "stomach problems, sleep problems, skin reactions, and seizures" is incredibly high (over 15,000 mcg -- even if you took a double supplement dose, that's only about 1200 mcg), so I don't think you have to worry about taking a double dose one day!
Also, it is recommended that you not take a folate supplement (at pregnancy doses) throughout your childbearing years (say, for 20 years straight), but that's really all I could find regarding adverse affects.
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Sam 3-07-2008 @ 12:41AM
Folic acid is water-soluble, which means that you pee out the excess. As with other B vitamins, you can usually tell if you're taking a larger dose than you need if it turns your urine bright yellow.
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eugene 3-07-2008 @ 2:43AM
there was a recent study that linked high doses of folic acid with increased chances of colon cancer and also breast cancer.
Just google folic acid cancer risk.
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MojraL 3-07-2008 @ 5:59AM
Everything in moderation, right? But, as mentioned, folic acid is water-soluble, so it is not stored up in your body. The study that was mentioned showed there *might* be a link to increased colon cancer when people were given large doses of folic acid over a period of time. The worst that taking an occasional double-dose is the effect on your pocket-book.
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MojraL 3-07-2008 @ 6:03AM
And remember that the positive impact of taking folic acid is very well known! The number of neural tube defects in infants has dropped dramatically in this country with the discovery of the impact of folic acid. The food industry has also added extra folic acid back into bread products (which was removed through processing). I have heard that neural tube defects have increased again recently in younger women, due to the popularity of low-carb diets in recent years.
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