Folic acid
From ChildWiki.com
Folic acid, or vitamin B9, contributes at forming healthy cells and plays a very important role in preventing abnormalities of the central nervous system and of the spinal cord of the fetus. Being a hydro-soluble substance, he does not stay too much in the body, so it has to be taken daily to act efficiently. During the periods of intense growth and during pregnancy, the body's requirements regarding this vitamin are bigger.
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[edit] Where Can Folic Acid Be Found
Folic acid can be found both under its natural form, in green vegetables like broccoli and spinach and in some fruits and juices like orange juice, and under its synthetic form, in various vitamin complexes and fortified alimentary products, like bread and cereals that are enriched with vitamins.
It is good to know that our body absorbed much easier the synthetic folic acid than the natural one.
[edit] How Much Folic Acid During Pregnancy
A multivitamins cure is useful especially if the woman has been using contraceptives. The daily dosage equals around 400 mcg (micrograms) a day.
Women with a high risk for delivering a child with central nervous system defects are recommended 4000 mcg of folic acid a day, for 1 to 3 months before pregnancy begins. This will happen only if the doctor recommends it.
Studies show that if all women would take folic acid during pregnancy, then the incidence of neural tube abnormalities would be reduced with about 75%.
[edit] Folic Acid and DNA
The infant's health starts with the health of his cells. If our cells are healthy, then we are also healthy. The health of the cells depend on a continuous reproduction that encounters no errors in the DNA stream. It is know that antioxidants play an important role here, and that they can neutralize the free radicals, which are the main enemies of DNA.
Still, researches have shown that folic acid is at least as important in the correct replication of DNA. The lack of folic acid is therefore associated with a large spectrum of medical conditions. The list of the diseases that have amongst their causes a lack in folic acid, and most of them can be avoided or cured with supplements.
