Folic Acid News and Research

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Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. When a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.

Foods with folic acid in them include leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts. Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products also contain folic acid. If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.

Daily iron supplementation during pregnancy does not increase malaria risk in malaria-endemic region

Among women in a malaria-endemic region in Kenya, daily iron supplementation during pregnancy did not result in an increased risk of malaria, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA. Iron supplementation did result in increased birth weight, gestational duration, neonatal length, and a decreased risk of low birth weight and prematurity.

9 Sep 2015

Study shows lack of folic acid enrichment in Europe causes foaetal abnormalities

A new international study shows that 5,000 foetuses in Europe annually are affected by spina bifida and other severe defects on the central nervous system. Seventy per cent of these pregnancies are terminated, while increased mortality and serious diseases affect the children who are born. At least half of the cases can be avoided by adding folic acid to staple foods as is already being done in seventy non-European countries.

29 Aug 2015

Study finds that serum biomarkers can predict pre-eclampsia risk in pregnant women

Levels of biomarkers in the blood of pregnant women can be used to predict which women are at risk of pre-eclampsia, finds a study published today (22 July) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG). ADMA and Hcy, both known to be raised in women with pre-eclampsia, are present in the blood in higher than normal concentrations a month before the onset of the condition.

23 Jul 2015

University of Georgia's Lynn Bailey leads international paper on folate biomarkers

A University of Georgia researcher is lead author on an international paper on folate biomarkers as part of an initiative to provide evidence-based guidance for the global nutrition and public health community.

1 Jul 2015

Study on how maternal proteins help regulate initial cell divisions during early development

Researchers in the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center are visually capturing the first process of chromosome alignment and separation at the beginning of mouse development. The findings could lead to answers to questions concerning the mechanisms leading to birth defects and chromosome instability in cancer cells.

10 Jun 2015

New study examines appropriate use of dietary supplementation in children with ASD

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often picky eaters, which can lead parents to suspect that their children might not be getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. This sometimes leads parents of children with ASD to try nutritional supplements and dietary regimens such as gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diets without professional supervision.

4 Jun 2015

Eli Lilly to present Phase III PROCLAIM trial results at ASCO Annual Meeting

Eli Lilly and Company announced final results of the Phase III PROCLAIM trial that will also be discussed in an oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

29 May 2015

Studies reveal that dietary supplement can improve reproductive health

Current statistics on U.S. birth rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a continued trend toward delayed motherhood. As fertility gradually declines in the 30s, particularly after age 35, the risk of experiencing difficulty conceiving may increase. In addition to age, there are other common reasons why women may experience difficulties conceiving, including: irregular ovulation cycles and poor egg quality, which may be associated with stress, lifestyle or poor diet.

13 Apr 2015

Regular consumption of nuts reduce mortality by more than 20%

Nuts are a key element of a healthy diet. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy diet including nuts, regular exercise, the maintenance of ideal weight and staying away from tobacco and alcohol could be sufficient to prevent cancer cases.

6 Apr 2015

Folic acid supplements can improve blood vessel dilation in older adults

Supplemental folic acid can enhance blood vessel dilation in older adults, according to Penn State researchers, suggesting that folic acid supplements may be an inexpensive alternative for helping older adults to increase skin blood flow during heat waves and reduce cardiovascular events.

1 Apr 2015

Philip Low to be recognized with AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research

The American Association for Cancer Research will recognize Philip S. Low, PhD, with the ninth annual AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research at the AACR Annual Meeting 2015, to be held in Philadelphia, April 18-22.

26 Mar 2015

Combined use of enalapril and folic acid can significantly reduce risk of first stroke

In a study that included more than 20,000 adults in China with high blood pressure but without a history of stroke or heart attack, the combined use of the hypertension medication enalapril and folic acid, compared with enalapril alone, significantly reduced the risk of first stroke, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session.

16 Mar 2015

Too much folic acid during pregnancy puts daughters at risk of diabetes, obesity later in life

Mothers that take excessive amounts of folic acid during pregnancy may predispose their daughters to diabetes and obesity later in life, according to a new study published today in the Journal of Endocrinology. With high dose supplements being widely available, the study calls for a need to establish a safe upper limit of folic acid intake for pregnant women.

10 Feb 2015

Women’s risk factors for heart disease

Heart disease is often thought of as a health problem for men, but more and more women die of heart disease each year than men, and from any other disease including breast cancer.

4 Feb 2015

Iovate Health Sciences International introduces StrongGirl supplements for women

Iovate Health Sciences International has introduced StrongGirl, a new line of supplements created by women for women. Every StrongGirl product is formulated to deliver on the StrongGirl promise: StrongGirl supplements are designed to help the active woman achieve her goals and be the best version of herself, with premium nutrition and effective formulas to help her be beautiful and strong, both inside and out.

3 Feb 2015

Study: Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can impair child's intellectual development

Pregnant women in Austria commonly suffer from an iodine deficiency. This may have a negative impact on the development of their unborn child's brain. These are the key findings of a joint study by the Endocrinology and Metabolism Unit at the University Department of Internal Medicine III together with the University Department of Gynaecology at the MedUni Vienna and AGES, which have now been published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

20 Jan 2015

Report: Folic acid saves babies from neural tube defects

Fortifying grain foods with the B vitamin folic acid has saved about 1,300 babies every year from being born with serious birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (NTDs), according to new data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

16 Jan 2015

Most Americans unaware of the positive benefits of folic acid

Each year, more than four million women in America give birth and 2,600 infants are born with neural tube defects.

6 Jan 2015

Vitamin B counteracts levels of DDT in women who are more likely to get, stay pregnant

Women who have adequate levels of B vitamins in their bodies are more likely to get and stay pregnant even when they also have high levels of a common pesticide known to have detrimental reproductive effects, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

5 Jan 2015

Multiple micronutrients for pregnant women does not reduce infant mortality compared to iron-folic acid

In Bangladesh, daily maternal supplementation of multiple micronutrients compared to iron-folic acid before and after childbirth did not reduce all-cause infant mortality to age 6 months, but did result in significant reductions in preterm birth and low birth weight, according to a study in the December 24/31 issue of JAMA.

24 Dec 2014