⬇️ Proof that more of a good thing isn’t always better!
Folic acid is proven to reduce the risk of birth defects, like spina bifida. That’s why more than 80 countries have programs to fortify foods with folic acid.
But if women take folic acid supplements, is it possible to take too much? Here’s what a new study found:
➡️ Supplementing HIGH folic acid was just as dangerous as LOW folic acid when it came to genetic mutations ⬅️
If you want to know the science-y explanation for why, keep reading, but here are some takeaways:
✅ Too much folic acid is dangerous.
✅ Folic acid is synthetic. It is not found in nature.
✅ Folic acid is not active until after it’s processed in the body by an enzyme (and many people have a genetic mutation so this enzyme is not fully functional).
✅ Natural forms of folate that the body can process more easily are folinic acid and methylfolate.
Now you want the science?
Folic acid supports methylation of DNA. Too much can lead to hypermethylation. When DNA repair genes become hypermethylated, they work more slowly and allow more mutations to occur.
Phew 😅
Just remember: there is no one-size-fits-all in health, medicine, or nutrition. More is not always better.