Folic acid, Vitamins...rethinking my usage of them
 

I was reading in my nutrition newsletter that we should not be taking any extra folic acid and that we should limit it to 400mcg a day.
It appears to contribute to cancer growth if you have any tumors and don't know about them.
That made me stop and think.
I also was taking a multivitamin twice a day...and taking extra too.
I read taht increased doses of folic acid can help with depression and possibly decrease the aging process of our brains, they are giving it to seniors....
I need to rethink my usage of these vitamins.
Especially anyone with a family history of breast cancer they should not take extra folic acid.

Has anyone else read about this?:(

bizi

i'll do some looking.

it always seems like a study comes out, says bad things, then the next back to good.

also, remember that we don't absorb ALL that a vitamin says it has in it. the %.

i think i had a site bookmarked on that.

hehehe..now you got my ole noodle thinking late at night. :wink:

Mrsd might be able to give us some insight.

I just got a vitamin that has high folic acid. I know in combination with a couple other vitamins (esp B12) that it helps lower homocystein that ages us.

Here's a good gov site.
 

Bizi,

This site is full of great info, but I find it a bit contradicting.
It looks like if you eat fortified grains, cereals, breads, and pastas, you might not need to take an additional supplement.

I take B vits because I am on the birth control pill -- which can interfere with absorption of the B vits.



http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/folate.asp

I saw this study a few months ago.
 

It is based on younger women who used high dose folic acid
to prevent spina bifida during pregnancy.

I have seen some young women given folic acid in amounts
up to 5mg a day! (esp if they have had a miscarriage or a
baby previously with spina bifida.)

The concern involves not CAUSING cancer but allowing it
to grow faster. Normally our immune system is removing cancerous cells all the time. If this fails or if certain nutrients are in good supply, then a cancer may take root, faster.
I think this is what we are seeing.

Also, this is only one study so far. I have seen reports that early breast cancer can be due to LOW vitamin D.
If pregnant women are low in D also (and I think that is very common), this factor has to be evaluated in any study looking at cancer.

So at this time until more information is available...moderation is the key.

There is a new DNA test coming out right now, that you can have to measure you risk for folate errors. It is being marketed by Solgar, for their new vitamin line which will target only what YOU need...called Nutrigenomx line.

I talk about it here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread17913.html

There is only one store in my state so far offering this service.
I was told by Solgar that within 3 months, after training other employees, it will be more common.

For people here using drugs for bipolar...antiseizure meds...Vit D is typically lost. So is folate. I've lost track of what you are using Bizi, but you may just be keeping up, and not that high.

I would get a vit D level done. This is turning out to be a huge epidemic across the health boards. About 50% of people are very low..dangerously so. Low D is very linked to cancer.

Thank you mrs.d.

I was taking 1200mg total from supplements and vitamins and fortified foods, daily. I increased my regular intake after listening to a gerintologist speak about giving increased dosages to seniors. I thought my memory needs all the help I can get. So I would take it too.

The scarey thing is that it can cause preexisting cancers to grow.
I wonder if they are asking patients (who have cancer)if they are taking extra folic acid?

bizi

I just recently changed my magnesium to slow mag....hoping that it helps me get some sleep.
thanks for the recommendation.
I take lamictal 200mg and geodon 40mg at night.