Folic Acid

General Information:

• Traditionally, folic acid is used for treatment of tropical sprue, a disease endemic in tropical regions. Symptoms include weakness, anemia, weight loss, steatorrhea (fat in stool), and malabsorption of nutrients.
• Responsible for carrying carbon in the heme formation of the hemoglobin molecule. It is part of the B-complex and should be taken with other B-vitamins, particularly, B-12, biotin, and pantothenic acid (bee pollen).
  
• Present in spinach, asparagus, beet greens, kale, endive, tgurnips, potatoes, broccoli, chard, black-eyed peas, lima beans, avocados, dates and plums as well as liver, kidney, and lamb. Also wheat bran, cottage cheese, and yeast.
  
• Destroyed in the body by sulfa drugs, oral contraceptives, severe stress, (such as surgery), and chemotherapy. Those undergoing kidney dialysis have folic acid, B-12 and pantothenic acid removed from their system and are subject to heart failure without proper supplementation.
  
• Adult requirements are .4 mg per day for men, .5 mg per day for women, and .8 mg per day for pregnant women. 15 mg is considered a megadose, but up to 450 mg have been given without side effects. Epileptics taking anticonvulsive drugs may have problems with their anticonvulsive medication.
  
  
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue

ŠJamie Longstreet 1996-2004