Improve Health And Wellness With Folic Acid
May 5, 2009
Having a healthy baby means making sure you’re healthy, too. One of the most important things you can do to help prevent serious birth defects in your baby is to get enough folic acid every day, especially before conception and during early pregnancy. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.
Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains.
Folic acid is also important for the formation of red and white blood cells. Folic acid is present in foods such as dried beans, peas, lentils, oranges, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spinach.
Folate coenzymes play a vital role in DNA metabolism through two different pathways. The synthesis of DNA from its precursors (thymidine and purines) is dependent on folate coenzymes and folate coenzyme is required for the synthesis of methionine, and methionine is required for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). SAM is a methyl group (one-carbon unit) donor used in many biological methylation reactions, including the methylation of a number of sites within DNA and RNA. DNA is the building blocks of all cells and so it is essential that we consume folic acid on a daily basis.
vitamin B folic acid is available in capsule, tablet, and powder forms at your local or internet health food store. Look for name brands like Solaray, Source Naturals, and Natures Plus to ensure quality and purity of the product you purchase.
*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Folic acid is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.
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