Folic Acid can mask B12 deficiency

I got this from Newswise, a journalists'-only news service that broadcasts breaking health news before it gets out to the general public.

Folate, or its synthetic form, folic acid, is good for brain health. But there’s concern that this brain booster could mask deficiencies in vitamin B-12, which can result in mental decline and other nerve problems. The July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers why it’s important to have enough of both.

Numerous studies have determined that high levels of folate intake, up to 800 micrograms (mcg) a day, may help ward off cognitive decline, possibly lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and even improve mental sharpness in areas such as memory and mental processing speed.

Folate is also important during pregnancy for the developing fetus, which is why the Food and Drug Administration in 1998 mandated folic acid fortification of grain products sold in the United States.

Vitamin B-12 plays an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism and nerve function. Where there’s a deficiency, symptoms include persistent tingling in the hands and feet, confusion and forgetfulness.

An estimated 15 percent of older adults are deficient in vitamin B-12. This deficiency can be caused by age-related changes in the digestive tract, which blunt the body’s ability to digest and absorb vitamin B-12 from food. Vegetarians who avoid all animal products and people who have digestive diseases such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease may also be at increased risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency.

While folic acid offers benefits, there are concerns about how it chemically reacts with vitamin B-12 within the body. It’s suspected that high folic acid intake can correct the anemia — but not the nerve and cognitive deterioration — that would normally occur with vitamin B-12 deficiency. Without the indication of anemia, vitamin B-12 deficiency may not be suspected and neurological deterioration may continue unabated.

More study is needed to fully explore the relationship between folate and vitamin B-12 and how it may affect brain health. Until then, the safest bet is to ensure intake of adequate amounts of both. Most older adults can do this by taking a multivitamin supplement that contains 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of both folate and vitamin B-12. For folic acid, that’s 400 mcg a day and for vitamin B-12, it’s 2.4 mcg a day.

A healthy diet that includes daily servings of fortified breads, grains or cereals and a wide variety of fresh and natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts can boost daily intake of folate or folic acid to the higher levels that may benefit brain health.

Sadly, a lot of folate is lost in the processing of grains, and the cheap folate they pour back on grains may not be the most absorbable form.

Too little folate may put pregnant women in danger of having a fetus with neural tube defects. But there is also some fear that you can get too much folate between taking supplements and eating fortified grains, but since I don't eat grains in general, this is not an issue for me. Since most doctors probably don't ask about your diet (although they probably should), bring it up before you check with your healthcare provider about supplementation. I try to eat a lot of veggies, beans, and nuts. My doc at the Alan E. Beer center has me on precription-only Folgard (generic: Folcaps), a nice combo of b12, folic acid, and b6 (b6 is also helpful for morning sickness).

ALSO, miso (fermented soy or other legumes) when made in the traditional way in wood caskets produces its own b12 in the action of the lacto-fermentation (I have an article coming out in Natural Health Magazine on the health benefits of artisanally fermented foods), another amazing way nature provides what we need. Vegetarians or people like me who don't eat a ton of meat might want to check into miso for a little extra b12 action.