Latest folic acid Stories

Persistently present levels of unmetabolized folic acid found in the population indicate that introducing mandatory food fortification may result in an 'overdosing' effect. A study of blood donors, new mothers and babies, published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, has found that most already get enough folic acid from voluntarily fortified foods.Mary Rose Sweeney, from Dublin City University, Ireland, led a team of researchers who studied 50 blood samples from the Irish Blood...

Research published online in the journal Epidemiology found that higher levels of total blood choline are associated with a 2.5-fold reduction in risk for neural tube birth defects (NTDs).(1) NTDs are birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, and the two most common NTDs are spina bifida and anencephaly. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 3,000 pregnancies in the U.S. are affected by NTDs each year.(2,3) This study adds to the growing body of evidence...

New Studies Show Healthy Lifestyle Habits Reduce Risk of Chronic Disease WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Though years ago everyone was looking for the "magic bullet," or one habit that would reduce the risk of chronic disease, scientific researchers today recognize that it is the combination of many lifestyle factors -- including things such as eating a healthy diet, using dietary supplements and exercising regularly -- that will keep individuals healthy. Two recently...

Adherence to modifiable lifestyle and dietary factors including maintaining normal weight, daily vigorous exercise, eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and low in sodium and taking a folic acid supplement was associated with a significantly lower incidence of self-reported hypertension among women, according to a study in the July 22/29 issue of JAMA.Hypertension (high blood pressure) contributes to more excess deaths in women than any other preventable factor....

New research, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that a woman's risk of having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD), such as Spina Bifida, is not linked to folic acid related auto-antibodies. The findings refute a well publicized study in 2004, which had indicated a link between the presence of these auto-antibodies in the circulation of mothers who had children with Spina Bifida compared to those who did not.Within an embryo, folate is essential for many...

For years, vitamin D and fish oil have been two of the most popular over-the-counter dietary supplements in U.S.  Now, an extensive, government-funded study will test the benefits of both in the prevention of cancer, heart disease and strokes to determine whether they will get the official thumbs up.What's more, the study is one of but a small handful of health experiments to ever look into the ethnic-specific effects of nutrients on the human body.In humans and most other mammals vitamin...

Currently, the World Health Organization recommends iron-folic acid supplements to pregnant women. New research recommends that a prenatal multimicronutrient may also offer increased benefits to a baby, lowering the risk of low birth weight.The most common cause of global infant mortality under the age of 5 years old is low birth weight and related complications. The study's authors, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, believe micronutrient supplementation may reduce low birth rates...

Semen quality depends on quantity of anti-oxidants from fruit and vegetables, researchers in Spain said. Our previous research study, published in March, showed that men who eat large amounts of meat and full fat dairy products have lower seminal quality than those who eat more fruit, vegetables and reduced fat dairy products, lead author Jaime Mendiola of the University of Murcia said in a statement. In this study, we have found that people who consume more fruits and vegetables are...

Doctors have issued a warning for some female athletes. Unhealthy eating habits observed in ballerinas and runners can lead to health complications with long-lasting consequences.When females don't eat enough to offset the energy they spend, they can stop menstruating (amenorrhea), putting them at risk for cardiovascular and bone density deficits typical of older, postmenopausal women.Two separate studies examined the effects of amenorrhea on female athletes. The first focused on ballerinas,...

Folic acid is getting renewed focus as a baby protecting vitamin. Also known as Vitamin B9,  it is essential to many bodily functions, not only guarding against spina bifida and other related birth defects, but now also linked to the prevention of premature births and heart defects.According to the AP, doctors specializing in pregnancy are now questioning whether or not it is time for the government to increase the levels of folic acid added to some foods to help ensure expectant...