Folic Acid Spina Bifida

In 1992, the US Public Health Service recommended that women of child-bearing age take 0.4 milligrams of a folic acid supplement each day to help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. In their recommendation, they suggested that foods be fortified with folic acid and the FDA was tasked with carrying out this recommendation. After performing additional studies, they declared the fortification mandatory in 1996 with a final implementation date in 1998.

The recommendation was made that basic foods eaten by most people such as flour, grains, cereals, enriched breads and similar products be fortified with folic acid. It was the first requirement for food fortification since the advent of enriched food products in 1943. Canada has a similar requirement and other countries have or are considering adopting the practice.

In 1987, CDC (Centers for Disease Control) statistics showed that the rate of occurrence of spina bifida in newborns was 4.3 per every 10,000 births. As of 2005 this had been cut by more than half with 1.9 cases of spina bifida per every 10,000 births.
Those are astounding figures. The rate of occurrence of spina bifida has been cut by more than half in less than 10 years.
Something is working.

According to a survey conducted in 2007 by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), while 81% of women of childbearing age reported that they were familiar with folic acid, only 40% of women in that age group were actually taking a folic acid supplement.

Of those who were not taking folic acid, 33% - a full one-third - reported that the reason they weren't taking the supplement was that they had simply forgotten.

It is possible to get too much folic acid, although the risks from this happening without a supplement are low. Women's Health states that it is not possible to get too much of the vitamin naturally through the foods that contain folate, however, with the introduction of fortified foods, others may be at risk.

The LA Times reported in May of 2009 that studies show folate helps the body produce healthy, red blood cells but it may also feed cancerous cells. Individuals ingesting more than 1000 micrograms of folic acid through food and supplements combined could also suffer nerve damage.

There is pressure to determine how much folic acid is too much for people who are not planning on getting pregnant or aren't currently pregnant. Therefore, it is very important that anyone concerned with the risks of getting too much folic acid in their diets talk about their nutrition with their doctor.

October is spina bifida awareness month
but you can do something
TODAY.

Sounds great, you say, but you're not pregnant, not looking to get pregnant or are male and never going to get pregnant. That doesn't mean you can't help out. You probably know someone who could benefit from this information. You could do the following:

Read: Regardless of whether or not you are considering getting pregnant, you're eating foods fortified with folic acid as part of the FDA fortification policy. Read up on how folic acid can impact your diet and your health.

Talk to Your Doctor: If you are considering getting pregnant, make sure you talk to your doctor about folic acid. They can help make sure you follow a regimen that is right for your situation.

Share: Forward this page to someone you know who is considering becoming pregnant. Spread the information. Remind family members of the importance of folic acid in the development of healthy children.