Source:
Jesse Gregory jfgregory@mail.ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1991 ext. 225
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When it comes to folic acid in the diet, how much is too much?
In 1998, when the Food and Drug Administration required certain foods to be fortified with the folic acid to prevent birth defects, the goal was to give U.S. consumers about 100 micrograms of the vitamin per day. Now, University of Florida researchers say many consumers are getting twice that level.
“Some people in the nutrition community are calling for even greater levels of fortification to reduce the risk of birth defects even more,” said Jesse Gregory, professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Since the intake from fortification actually is 200 micrograms per day, any push to increase the amount of fortification will need to be reassessed.”
Gregory said he’s not against the current level of fortification, but the risks and benefits must be considered before any changes are made in the FDA recommendations.
“At this time, there is no evidence that consuming too much folic acid causes any harm, but some nutritionists are concerned about higher intake levels,” he said.
For example, Gregory said, an excessive intake of folic acid can mask of a deficiency of vitamin B-12, which is important for maintaining the nervous system and metabolizing certain amino acids.
“There is evidence the efficiency of B-12 absorption declines in the elderly, and people also can be low in B-12 if they’re on a vegetarian diet,” he said. “They could be harmed by the B-12 deficiency while the folic acid masks it.”
The UF research findings on folic acid levels in the U.S. diet are being published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Gregory, who coauthored the study with postdoctoral student Eoin Quinlivan, said there is strong evidence the 1998 FDA folic acid requirements have led to a lower incidence of neural-tube defects — serious and common birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord.
To determine if American consumers are taking in more folic acid than the FDA predicted in 1998, Gregory and Quinlivan analyzed data from a number of published studies. The studies measured intake levels of folic acid before and after the FDA program began.
Gregory said there are a number of reasons why the intake levels of folic acid are so much higher than the FDA’s goal of 100 micrograms per day.
“Many companies producing cereal-grain products may be trying to ensure an adequate amount by adding more than necessary, something commonly done to account for losses in processing and storage,” he said.
“There also might be some inaccuracy in trying to predict what people would actually be consuming. Some products, such as breaded foods, may contain cereal grains that weren’t accounted for in the original analysis,” Gregory said. “Also, typical serving sizes are probably greater than the FDA originally assumed.”
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