Folic Acid

Folic Acid is Effective for:

• Treating and preventing folic acid deficiency.
• Lowering homocysteine levels in people with kidney disease. About 85% of people with serious kidney disease have high levels of homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to heart disease and stroke. Taking folic acid lowers homocysteine levels in people with serious kidney disease.
• Reducing harmful effects of a medicine called methotrexate, which is sometimes used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Taking folic acid seems to reduce nausea and vomiting, which are possible side effects of methotrexate treatment.
• Decreasing the risk of certain birth defects (neural tube defects) when taken by pregnant women.
• Reducing the risk of getting colorectal cancer. Getting more folic acid from the diet and supplements seems to lower the chances of developing colon cancer, but does not seem to help people who already have colon cancer.
• Reducing the risk of breast cancer. The benefit is greater when women get extra vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 in their diet in addition to folic acid.
• Depression, when used with conventional antidepressant medicines. Limited research suggests that folic acid alone won’t help with depression.
• Treating a skin disease called vitiligo.
• Gum problems due to a drug called phenytoin when applied to the gums.
• Treating gum disease during pregnancy, when used in mouthwash.
• Reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Macular degeneration. Some research shows that taking folic acid with other vitamins including vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 might help prevent getting the eye disease called age-related macular degeneration.