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Folic Acid and the Older Adult Definition Food Sources Folic acid is a type of B vitamin. It is watersoluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine. That means you need a continuous supply of the vitamin in your diet. Folate occurs naturally in the following foods: Alternative Names Vitamin B9; Folate in diet; Diet - folic acid; Diet - folate; Pteroylglutamic acid Beans and legumes Citrus fruits and juices Wheat bran and other whole grains Dark green leafy vegetables Poultry, pork, shellfish, liver (Folic acid is the man-made form of folate found in supplements.) Function Folic acid works along with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to help the body break down, use, and create new proteins. The vitamin helps form red blood cells and helps produce DNA, the building block of the human body, which carries genetic information. Folic acid also helps tissues grow and cells work. Recommendations The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid. Most people in the United States have an adequate dietary intake of folic acid because it is plentiful in the food supply. Recommended Daily Intake: Males age 14 and older: 400 mcg/day Females age 50 and over: 400 mcg/day Side Effects What other drugs will affect folic acid? Folic acid deficiency may cause poor growth, gray hair, swollen tongue (glossitis), mouth ulcers, peptic ulcer, and diarrhea. It may also lead to certain types of anemias. The dosages of other medications you take may need to be changed while you are taking folic acid.Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially: Too much folic acid usually doesn't cause harm, because the vitamin is regularly removed from the body through urine. Folic acid supplementation may mask the harmful effects of vitamin B12 deficiency however. What else should I know about folic acid? Before you take folic acid, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis), an infection, if you are an alcoholic, or if you have any type of anemia that has not been diagnosed by a doctor and confirmed with laboratory testing. phenytoin (Dilantin); methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall); nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Macrobid); pyrimethamine (Daraprim); tetracycline (Ala-Tet, Brodspec, Sumycin); a barbiturate such as butabarbital (Butisol), secobarbital (Seconal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), or phenobarbital (Solfoton); or seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or primidone (Mysoline). This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with folic acid. Folic acid is sometimes used in combination Tell your doctor about all your prescription with other medications to treat pernicious and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, anemia. However, folic acid will not treat minerals, herbal products, and drugs Vitamin B12 deficiency and will not prevent prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new possible damage to the spinal cord. Take all of medication without telling your doctor. your medications as directed. References What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking folic acid? If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication: kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis); hemolytic anemia; pernicious anemia; anemia that has not been diagnosed by a doctor and confirmed with laboratory testing; an infection; or if you are an alcoholic. This document was made using materials adapted from https://online.epocrates.com/ and http://www.mdconsult.com and is NOT an original work. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, PantothenicAcid, Biotin, and Choline. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1998. Hamrick I, Counts SH. Vitamin and mineral supplements. Wellness and Prevention. December 2008:35(4);729-747. Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. Mason, MB. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 237. Review Date: 11/6/2009 Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine (3/7/2009). Copyright © Nidus Information Services 2010 A.D.A.M., Inc.