Popularly believed to be a perfectly safe synthetic B vitamin found in supplements and fortified foods, folic acid commonly interchanges with folate, a naturally occurring essential vitamin. WebMD describes folic acid as “a synthetic form of folate.” When you do a basic google search on folic acid, folate typically pops up instead. Clicking on the articles, most will casually mention folic acid is a synthetic version of folate, painting it as an easy source of the B vitamins and other supplements folate provides. That is not the case.
Folic acid can be incredibly harmful. It is infused in most enriched grain, inorganic, fortified, and prepackaged foods through genetic engineering. It is on the FDA’s list of mandatory food fortifications. To be clear, folic acid itself is not technically the problem. The significant difference between folate and folic acid is metabolization. Your body needs dihydrofolate reductase, a rare natural enzyme, to metabolize folic acid. This enzyme also helps fight cancer and protect your heart health. An overdose of folic acid depletes your dihydrofolate reductase levels, among other problems, inviting a whole host of side effects:
- Interrupted Concentration
- Change in Sex Hormones
- Insomnia
- Mood Swings
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Cancer
What’s amazing is that authentic folate prevents or reverses almost all of these! The signs of folate deficiency include:
- Poor Immune Function/Constantly Sick
- Chronic Low Energy
- Poor Digestion/Bloating/Constipation/IBS
- Developmental Problems During and After Pregnancy
- Anemia
- Oral Canker Sores/Swollen Tongue
- Mood Swings
- Pale Skin
- Premature Grey Hair
Isn’t it crazy how natural supplements provide relief from the exact problems human-made supplements cause?
Victims of a folate deficiency who should be incredibly intentional about beefing up their intake are:
- Pregnant/Nursing Women
- Regular Drinkers
- Liver Disease Patients
- Kidney Dialysis Patients
- Diabetes Medication Users
- Frequent Diuretic/Laxative Users
Folate is necessary for:
- Preventing Cancer
- Protecting Cognitive Function and Possibly Dementia and Alzheimers
- Preventing Depression
- Helping Body Utilize Iron, Vitamin B12, and Amino Acids
- Cell Development Essential in DNA Copying
Inspiration to get your necessary 5+ servings of folate-rich whole foods every day include:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Romaine Lettuce
- Avocados
- Oranges
- Beef Liver
- Wheat Germ
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