Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
| Name/Weight | Volume | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
Folic Acid 100g |
180cc | $25.25 | |
Folic Acid 250g |
400cc | $52.00 | |
Folic Acid 500g |
760cc | $93.50 | |
Folic Acid 1kg |
1450cc | $196.00 |
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What is Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)?
Folic Acid, also sometimes called Vitamin B9, Folate, Folacin or Pteroylglutamic acid, is a naturally-occurring water-soluble B Vitamin. Over the years, folic acid has captured the attention of many people due to the amount of research studies that clearly reveals the many health benefits of this powerhouse nutrient. Folic acid is most well known for its crucial part in healthy fetal development. In this role, folic acid protects newborns from birth defects, including neural tube defects like spina bifida when taken by the mother before and during pregnancy. When the fetus' neural tube does not close properly during its development, the baby is born with a very serious neurological birth defect called neural tube defect (NTD) or spina bifida. In the United States, about 3,000 pregnancies are affected by NTDs each year. If all women took adequate folic acid before conception and during early pregnancy, up to about 70 percent of NTDs could be prevented. There are two different types of folic acid: the synthetic form, which can be found in multivitamins, fortified bread and grain products like breakfast cereals and folic acid prescriptions and, the natural form called folate which can be found in leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach and some fruits and juices like orange juice. Our bodies absorb the synthetic form more easily than the natural form.Folic acid is also a vital nutrient in protecting the heart from heart disease by controlling levels of homocysteine. It has been found that high levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, due to an accumulation of deposits of fat and fibrous tissue called plaques). In this role, folic acid works very closely with its cousin's vitamin B6 and B12 to carry out this vital function. The benefits of folic acid extends way beyond just pregnancy and heart disease as it is needed for a healthy nervous, digestive, and immune system, energy production, formation of red blood cells, DNA and RNA synthesis, and proper cell division. No cell division can take place without folic acid. When the body attempts to make red blood cells without it, the blood cells cannot mature consequently becoming very large and useless resulting to a condition called megaloblastic anemia. Folic acid is necessary for the growth of new cells in the body particularly during periods of rapid cell growth and division such as during pregnancy and fetal development. Folate is also needed in replicating DNA and in maintaining normal levels of red blood cells in your bone marrow.
Folic acid allows S-adenosyl methionine, or SAMe, to be converted to glutathione, a major detoxificating agent present in the liver. Without folic acid, SAMe is converted to homocysteine which is a free radical, instead of glutathione. Homocysteine is a very toxic free radical that damages the cells, causing blood vessel walls to become hard and brittle. An elevated homocysteine level is a known risk factor to coronary heart disease as well as to atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. These conditions can be treated by administering regular doses of folic acid, folate or its metabolically active cousin, tetrahydrofolate. Folic acid is also necessary for energy production and a strong immune system, helps to form the DNA and RNA in our genes which are needed to regulate cell formation, and in keeping the healthy condition of each cell in the body, including skin cells, the cells that line the small intestine, and red and white blood cells.
Large amounts of folic acid are present in leafy greens, such as spinach, beet greens, turnip greens and romaine lettuce. In fact, the name folate comes from the Latin word for "leaf." Lack of leafy green vegetables in the diet is the chief cause of folic acid deficiency leading to birth defects, megaloblastic anemia and other neurological diseases. Other natural sources of Vitamin B9 include fruits, especially bananas, oranges, and cantaloupe; brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, rice, barley, all kinds of beans and peas, milk, mushrooms, root vegetables, salmon, tuna, and asparagus. As a testament to the benefits provided by B9, the FDA also now requires folic acid fortification of all breads, flours, corn meal, rice, noodles, pasta, and other grain products. Folic acid works in combination with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to help in the break down, use, and creation of new proteins in the body. These vitamins help in the production of red blood cells and in the formation of DNA, the carrier of genetic information.
What is Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) used for and who uses it?
Folic acid is an essential vitamin that is needed by our body for cell growth and division, DNA replication and protein synthesis in all cells. Folic acid deficiency can lead to many different diseases and disorders which include heart attacks, colon cancer, depression, dementia, hearing loss, as well as cleft lip and palate and neural tube defects in babies. The principal clinical uses of folic acid supplementation are in the prevention and treatment of neural tube defects, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, cervical dysplasia, and depression. Folic acid is used to prevent certain types of anemia caused by poor diet, pregnancy, alcoholism, liver disease, certain stomach and intestinal problems, kidney dialysis and other conditions. Various researches have suggested that an increased level of homocysteine in the blood provides a risk factor for stroke and other heart diseases. Incidentally, adequate levels of folic acid as well as the other B vitamins, B12 and B6, are reported to decrease the level of homocysteine present in the body. As such, folic acid has been suggested to effectively reduce the risk of heart disease. If you are experiencing hair loss, it may be likely due to insufficient amounts of B vitamins in your body, primarily because the vitamins B3, B6, B12 and folic acid are all important for hair growth. Thus, intake of folic acid can counter excessive hair loss.The health benefits of folic acid stems from its physiological importance in our bodies. If you are pregnant, taking folic acid during pregnancy (and even before) is very important. Folate helps prevent congenital malformations and birth defects in the brain and the spinal cord of your developing baby. As such, eating foods rich in folic acid is highly encouraged. Doctors also usually prescribe intake of folic acid supplements because of this increased need. As for folic acid and heart attack, many studies have shown that increased levels of homocysteine in your blood provide a relevant risk factor for stroke and other heart diseases. Incidentally, adequate levels of folic acid as well as the other B vitamins B12 and B6, are reported to decrease the level of homocysteine circulating around your body. Because of this, folic acid has been suggested help lower the risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
Folic acid has also been seen to help counter symptoms of depression (and post-partum depression) and schizophrenia. It is also used widely for preventing anemia, some forms of cancer, and skin ulcers. The importance of folic acid, along with the other B vitamins, cannot be stressed further. Thus, intake of folic acid supplements is strongly recommended, most especially if you are at risk of folic acid deficiency. It is an essential nutrient primarily because it is needed for the production and the maintenance of new cells in your body. Folate is also needed for the replication of the DNA in your body and in maintaining normal levels of red blood cells in your bone marrow.
How pure is your Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)?
This Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) is assayed by the manufacturer to be 99.1% pure product (normal range 99.0 to 101.0%). You will receive a sealed and labeled heavy duty 4 mil polyethylene bag containing this yellow crystalline powder. Folic Acid is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it does not remain in the body for a long time. It rapidly gets flushed from the system and has to be replenished on a daily basis. Owing to this fact that folic acid is water-soluble (you absorb only about half of the folic acid you eat), and it is easily destroyed by microwaving, processing, overcooking, or reheating, this makes it hard to get the RDA from your diet alone. On top of that, though folic acid is naturally present in many food products, majority of the population suffer from undernutrition and has been found to be deficient in folic acid for not taking enough healthy foods. This is primarily because nowadays eating habits now do not involve folic acid-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits. Additionally, many substances and drugs can hinder folic acid absorption in the body, and during pregnancy, much higher doses of folic acid is needed due to rapidly-growing cells of the fetus. For these reasons, it makes sense to consider folic acid supplementation.What is the daily suggested dose of Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)?
The recommended dietary allowance for regular adults is at 400 mcg/day (0.4 mg/day). About 600 mcg/day (0.6 mg/day) is needed for pregnant women and those who are planning pregnancy. For people deficient in folic acid, depending on the severity of the deficiency or the health condition, dosage recommendations can vary from 400 mcg to 1000 mcg (0.4 mg to 1 mg). You can see the full bulk density/volumetric conversion chart for Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) here. Because Folic Acid can potentially be toxic in higher doses extreme care should be exercised when dosing this product for individual use and dietary supplementation. A single dose for Folic Acid is very small and you should make no attempt to dose this product using volumetric measuring techniques. In other words, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DOSE THIS PRODUCT USING MEASURING SPOONS OF ANY KIND! The only safe way to dose this product for individual use will be using an accurate milligram weight scale to measure an amount that is at least 16 milligrams and then divide that amount in half to make two 8 milligram piles. Next divide each 8mg pile in half to make 4x 4mg. Next divide each 4mg pile in half to make 8x 2mg. Each of these 2mg doses would commonly be considered a safe dose, although dividing each 2mg pile yet again to 1mg might also be an effective dose for most people.Milligram scales measure by weight in units that are accurate and precise to 1/100th of a gram, or 0.01 grams. Because these scales are typically not sufficiently accurate to be considered reliable when measuring amounts less than 10 milligrams it is recommended that you measure out amounts larger than 10mg and then physically divide this amount multiple times so as to approximate a single dose in the range of between 500mcg (0.5mg) to 2mg, depending upon your individual needs. PureBulk have these scales, and you can purchase it quite inexpensively here: 1/100th gram (milligram) weight ScalesKeep in mind as well that excess folic acid can inhibit vitamin B12 absorption and can also mask its deficiency, so it would be a good idea to take vitamin B12 supplements as well in conjunction with folic acid.
As always, if you have concerns or questions, consult a physician or a health care professional before taking any supplements. Before taking any kind of medicine, check with your doctor to ensure that the supplement you want to take is right for you. You may be allergic or you may have a sensitive stomach which may raise the need for special instruction as far as dosage goes.
Precautions and Potential side effects of Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
You can take in natural folic acid from many foods such as green, leafy vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, peanuts, and meat sources, as well as from supplements. Folic acid may improve and enhance our normal body functions, but just like any other supplement or medicine, with improper and misguided consumption, some adverse effects from folic acid use may be possible as well. The side effects of folic acid are not very common. Some people have reported experiencing mild side effects which usually occur with relatively large doses of folic acid supplements. These side effects include nausea, insomnia, decreased appetite, flatulence, abdominal distension, difficulty concentrating and some bitter taste in the tongue. If you experience any of these, inform your doctor about it right away. As for overdose, it has been said that taking too much folic acid can lead to B-12 deficiency masking that can possible lead to irreversible damage. Also, overdose can be quite dangerous to epileptics as they have been seen to cause seizures. Allergic reactions have also been reported in a few cases. However, generally speaking, there is no report of excess folic acid toxicity in men and women. This however does not mean that you can take as much of it anytime as you want. Seek your doctor's advice and follow the prescribed dose at all times, just to be on the safe side. The benefits of folic acid certainly outweigh its possible side effects. Thus, you can safely say that folic acid can bring your body much more benefit than harm.Special Cautions: Oral contraceptives interfere with the absorption of folic acid, therefore, it is recommended that folic acid supplementation include other B-complex vitamins. Alcohol and certain medications can also play havoc on the absorption of folic acid. If you suffer from hormone-related cancer, or a seizure disorder, high prolonged doses of folic acid is not recommended.
Side Note: We recommend that you always consult with your physician before taking any dietary supplements, especially pregnant or nursing women, people on prescription medications, and people who suffer from a health condition. Also, there is some evidence that folic acid is actually better absorbed into the system in its supplemental form, especially when combined with vitamin B12 and vitamin C. Vitamin C prevents folic acid from being broken down too quickly in your body.
The information at Purebulk.com is NOT a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not use any dietary supplement as a replacement for conventional care, or as a reason to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem. Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Appearance, solubility, and suggested preparation of Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
In its pure form folic acid is a yellowish or orange brown crystalline powder. You can easily dissolve it in water if you dislike swallowing or chewing pills. It is also soluble in alkali, hydroxides and carbonates. It cannot be dissolved in alcohol, acetone, chloroform or ether. This vitamin is easily and quickly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Folic acid in your blood reaches peak levels about half and hour to an hour after eating. It is usually taken with food, pills or administered in the form of folate sodium injections with a strength equivalent to 5mg/mL. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends no more than 1,000 micrograms of folic acid per day.Folic acid supplementation is encouraged for those who are possibly folic acid deficient and those who have increased need of it, such as in the case of pregnant women. Folic acid has also been used as medication for treating conditions such as megaloblastic anemia, depression, heart conditions, and so on. However, before deciding that you need to take folic acid supplements yourself to counter any of these conditions, it is always best that you see your doctor beforehand.
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) is used in the following Proprietary Formulas
Children’s Tall Tree Multi-Vitamin and Mineral by Country Life, Children's Vitalets Chewable Multi-Vitamins by Freeda, DEVA Prenatal 1-A-Day Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Formula, Maxi Pre-Natal Vitamin, Mineral and DHA Supplement by Country Life, Organic Saw Palmetto by DEVA, Prenatal One Multi-Vitamin by Rainbow Light, Optimum Opti-Men, Universal Animal Pak, Optimum Opti-Women, AST Multi Pro 32X, Nutrex Lipo 6 Hers, Schiff Folic Acid, Source Naturals MegaFolinic, Complete H20 Minerals B6-B12 Folic AcidReferences & Further Research
The primary prevention of birth defects: Multivitamins or folic acid?Periconceptional use of folic acid alone or in multivitamin supplements is effective for the primary prevention of neural-tube defects. The Hungarian randomized and two-cohort controlled trials showed that periconceptional multivitamin supplementation can reduce the occurrence of some other structural birth defects, i.e. congenital abnormalities. These findings were supported by many, but not all observational studies. Recently there have been two main debated questions. The first one is whether the use of folic acid alone or folic acid-containing multivitamins is better. The second one is connected with the dilemma of whether high dose of folic acid (e.g. 5 mg) might be better than a daily multivitamin with 0.4 – 0.8 mg of folic acid. Multivitamins containing 0.4 – 0.8 mg of folic acid were more effective for the reduction of neural-tube defects than high dose of folic acid. However, folic acid was effective in preventing some part of rectal/anal stenosis/atresia, and high dose of folic acid had effect in preventing some orofacial clefts. The findings are consistent that periconceptional multivitamin and folic acid supplementation reduce the overall occurrence of congenital abnormalities in addition to the demonstrated effect on neural-tube defects.
Folate deficiency inhibits proliferation of adult hippocampal progenitors
Neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus may play important roles in learning and memory, and in recovery from injury. The perturbance of homocysteine / folate or one-carbon metabolism can adversely affect both the developing and the adult brain, and increase the risk of neural tube defects and Alzheimer's disease. Dietary folic acid deficiency dramatically increases blood homocysteine levels and significantly reduces the number of proliferating cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in adult mice. Dietary folate deficiency inhibits proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells in the adult brain and thereby affects neurogenesis.
Effect of folic acid supplementation on genomic DNA methylation in patients with colorectal adenoma
A low dietary folate intake can cause genomic DNA hypomethylation and may increase the risk of colorectal neoplasia. The hypothesis that folic acid supplementation increases DNA methylation in leucocytes and colorectal mucosa was tested in 31 patients with histologically confirmed colorectal adenoma using a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel design. Folic acid supplementation increased serum and erythrocyte folate concentrations and decreased plasma homocysteine concentration. Folic acid supplementation resulted in increases in DNA methylation in leucocytes and in colonic mucosa. These results suggest that DNA hypomethylation can be reversed by physiological intakes of folic acid.
Chemopreventive role of folic acid in colorectal cancer
Accumulating evidence suggests that folic acid, a water soluble vitamin, could be an effective chemopreventive agent for colorectal cancer. Results from several studies have demonstrated that a diet deficient in folic acid may be associated with an increased risk of colonic neoplasia, whereas dietary supplementation of this nutrient may be chemopreventive. Although the mechanisms by which folic acid exerts its chemopreventive role in colorectal carcinogenesis remain to be fully elucidated, supplemental folic acid has been shown to arrest the loss of heterozygosity of the tumor suppressor gene DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) and to stabilize its protein in normal appearing rectal mucosa of patients with colorectal adenomas.
