|
|
|
-----------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-----------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Folic acid, a double-edged sword
Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:03:27
|
|
Scientists are worried that while fortifying flour with folic acid cuts birth defects, it may lead to a range of health problems.
According to the article published in the British Journal of Nutrition, with doses of half the amount being proposed for fortification, the liver could easily become saturated by folic acid, leading to the entrance of the un-metabolized folic acid into the blood.
This can cause problems for individuals undergoing treatment for leukemia and arthritis, women being treated for ectopic pregnancies, men with a family history of bowel cancer, and elderly people with poor vitamin B status.
It can increase the likelihood of conceiving multiple embryos in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and is associated with great risks for both mother and babies.
Previous studies have confirmed that un-metabolized folic acid accelerates cognitive decline in the elderly with low levels of vitamin B12. It may also increase the incidence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. While folates are broken down in the gut, the latest research shows that folic acid is metabolized in the liver.
Mandatory fortification has already been introduced in the US, Canada and Chile, where reports have shown a decrease in the rate of infantile neural tube defect by up to 50%.
PKH/HGH
|
|
|
|
|
|
|