There is continuing good press for folic acid in several aspects of human health, but the foremost health issue it addresses is human reproduction. The popular belief that folic acid removes serious birth defects is supported by incontrovertible scientific facts. If a woman plans on getting pregnant, eating foods rich in folic acid is among other things that have to take priority.

History

At the beginning of the 19th century, folate, the naturally occurring form of folic acid, gained prominence in association with anemia. It was widely accepted to equate anemia with folate deficiency, spurring the earliest researches on folate as a treatment for anemia. In the 1930’s, folate was first isolated to aid further researches owing to the discovery that it is the substance responsible for correcting anemia. The success of procuring folic acid in a pure crystalline form led to the production of the first anti-cancer drug as early as the 1940’s. In the past few years, there has been growing emphasis on the right consumptions of folate-rich foods to meet the daily folate requirements.

Roles

Folate is an indispensable component of life in that it is directly connected to DNA and RNA processes, most notably in inhibiting changes to DNA. Folate deficiency results in limited production of cells such as erythrocytes, also called red blood cells, bringing about abnormalities of cells in the body. The condition now known as megaloblastic anemia is often caused by low levels of folate in the body and characterized by abnormally large but immature red blood cells. There is a steady growth of red cells, but the absence of DNA synthesis renders these cells incapable of replicating. For individuals who suffer from anemia, these immature cells are released into the body to attempt to counter anemia but to no avail.

Benefits

The fact that folate sustains the enhanced rate of cell division promotes the correct developments of body tissues and organs during pregnancy, significantly reducing the number of reported congenital malformations. There is good evidence that folate stabilizes DNA synthesis in red blood cells, hence the prevalent opinion that it is a must-have prior to conception. The employment of red blood cells is important to the first half of pregnancy as this time covers the central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord in the fetal development, leading to a drop in folate levels before and during this stage. Increased folate intake does not only remove birth defects that has something to do with the nervous system like neural tube defects, but was also cited to reduce cases of heart defects, limb defects, and the dreaded cleft lip.

Sources

Folic acid supplementation is highly recommended by health professionals. While there are countless food sources of folate, it has been noted that most people fail to meet the required amount. This is the same reason why the fortification of food with folate has become a sweeping campaign. Folic acid is vital to daily body processes and must be kept at healthy levels.

Look for folic acid in capsule or tablet form at your local or internet vitamin store. Always choose name brands to ensure quality when buying vitamin supplements.

Author Bio: Give folic acid a try risk free at VitaNet®, LLC vitamin store. http://vitanetonline.com/searchs/Liquid/Liquid/

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Folic Acid, Prevent Birth Defects Naturally, Improve DNA synthesis Naturally