folic acid

Vitamin of the B complex. It is found in liver, legumes and green leafy vegetables, and whole grain foods, and is also synthesized by the intestinal bacteria. It is essential for growth, and plays many other roles in the body. Lack of folic acid causes anaemia because it is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids and the formation of red blood cells.

From January 1998 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made it a legal requirement that food manufacturers fortify certain foods, such as bread, pasta, and flour, with folic acid to reduce the number of babies born with nervous system disorders due to maternal deficiencies. An estimated 1,000 babies are born in the USA each year with such defects.

Daily consumption of folic acid for a month before conception and for the first three months of pregnancy cuts the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, by 75%.