What Is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is an essential nutrient, needed by both men and women to help maintain good health and wellbeing. Although folic acid can be obtained through food, it’s not always easy to eat the right foods every day amid hectic work, social and family lives. So, a folic acid supplement can help to safeguard your intake of this vital vitamin.

What is folic acid?

Folic acid is one of the eight B vitamins. It’s important we get enough folic acid as it helps to support a number of functions in the body from contributing to the reduction of fatigue, to contributing to the normal function of our immune system.

What vitamin is folic acid?

Folic acid is also known as vitamin B9. There are eight B vitamins in total and these are all needed for good health. Each of the B vitamins supports health and wellbeing. To help safeguard your intake of folic acid, Ultra Folic Acid combines 400µg of folate with vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Is folate the same as folic acid?

There is a difference between folate and folic acid. Folate is another name for the form of vitamin B9 found naturally in foods, whilst folic acid is the man-made type of vitamin B9, found in supplements or used to fortify foods. Folate is found in foods such as leafy green veg, chickpeas and broccoli.

What does folic acid do?

Folic acid does a number of things, including helping the body to make healthy red blood cells. These red blood cells are needed to carry oxygen around the body using a substance called haemoglobin.

Another benefit of folic acid is that it contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism, which is important for heart health. Homocysteine is an amino acid which is produced when proteins we consume are broken down. As a B vitamin, folic acid also contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, as well as the normal function of the immune system and normal psychological performance.

What does folic acid do for men?

Men should also ensure they are getting enough folate in their diet or folic acid via supplementation. There are a number of reasons why men should get enough folic acid from helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue, to supporting the normal function of the immune system.

What does folic acid do for women?

For women, folic acid provides many benefits. Not only the benefits listed above, but folic acid is also important for women who are trying to get pregnant and for women who are pregnant, to help support the growing foetus as folic acid contributes to maternal tissue growth in pregnancy.

Folic acid and pregnancy

Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients for pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, it’s important that she gets enough folic acid as it plays an important role in supporting a baby’s growth and development.

What does folic acid do in pregnancy?

It’s advised by the UK Department of Health that women who are trying to conceive and pregnant women take folic acid.Folic acid intake increases maternal folate status, has a role in the process of cell division and contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. .

How much folic acid should you take in pregnancy?

If you're pregnant, trying for a baby, or could potentially get pregnant, the UK Department of Health recommends that you take a 400 microgram (µg) folic acid supplement daily. This should ideally start 3 months before and continue until you're 12 weeks pregnant. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status. Low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus.

If you have a higher chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect your doctor will recommend that you take an increased dose of 5mg, taken once a day. If you are trying for a baby, Pregnacare Conception Max includes zinc which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction, plus L-Methylfolate, a more advanced form of folic acid.

For during pregnancy,

Pregnacare Original contains 19 important nutrients, specially formulated by experts for during pregnancy. This includes the recommended 400 µg of folic acid as well as vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, which contribute to normal red blood cell formation.

Pregnacare Liquid is ideal for those who don’t like swallowing tablets. It contains 18 nutrients including the recommended 400 µg folic acid, 10 µg of vitamin D, and a moderate level of iron as part of a comprehensive formula.

Pregnacare Max provides the most comprehensive support in the Pregnacare range. It includes L-Methylfolate, a more easily absorbed form of folic acid. It also includes Omega-3 capsules with DHA. Maternal intake of DHA contributes to the normal eye and brain development of the foetus.

How much folic acid should I take?

The UK Department of Health recommends that adults need 200 µg of folate or folic acid a day. (Unless you are pregnant - see above for more information). This can be consumed through food as well as supplementation.

Can you take too much folic acid?

Folic acid is generally very safe to take. However if you're worried or need advice, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.

Ultimately, folic acid is an important vitamin for both men and women as it plays a number of roles in helping to maintain good health. Pregnant women also need to make folic acid a priority. If you think your diet may be lacking in folic acid, try one of our folic acid supplements to help ensure you’re getting enough of this nutrient.