What are the benefits of folic acid?
In the fetus, folic acid helps the neural tube, which develops into the brain and spinal cord, grow. Without folic acid, the neural tube may not close correctly. The baby can develop spina bifida — a condition in which the spinal cord and/or a sac filled with fluid protrude through an opening in the back — or anencephaly. Babies with anencephaly usually do not live long, and those with spina bifida may be permanently disabled. Folic acid can reduce the incidence of NTDs by as much as 70%, according to the CDC. Research has also found that, when taken before and during pregnancy, folic acid may also protect against other birth defects, including: • Cleft lip and palate. In one study, women who took multivitamins, got at least 400 mcg of folic acid daily, and ate a healthy diet had the lowest risk of delivering a child with an opening in the lip (cleft lip). • Pregnancy complications.
, folic acid can strengthen the reproductive system in women having trouble conceiving. Without adequate amounts of folic acid, cell division could be impaired, possibly leading to poor growth in the fetus or placenta. Adequate intake of folic acid is vital for the prevention of several types of birth defects, particularly neural tube defects. Women who have a family history of neural tube defects or who have had a baby with a neural tube defect should take 5mg of folate daily and other women should take 0.5mg of folate daily.
First of all, you need folic acid to build muscles and to keep your body strong and in good condition. Folic acid is the most essential element in your body to replace the old body cells with the new ones. Without it, you can’t make the new cells fast enough or well enough. Folic acid is especially important for cells that wear out and divide rapidly, such as red blood cells, skin cells, and the cells that line your small intestine. Folic acid is one of the B-complex vitamins that works with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to breakdown the proteins and the formation of hemoglobin (a compound in red blood cells that is essential for transferring oxygen and carbon dioxide). Another function of folic acid is creating coenzymes in the body appears to be mediating the transfer of one-carbon units. This makes it to be essential to all biochemical reactions that use a one-carbon transfer and is produced by bacteria in the stomach and intestines. Folic acid does some other amazing things for your he
