WHy is the recommended folic acid so high?

[Tiggerian]

Hiya,

The general recommendation here in the UK is that you take 400 microgram folicacid a day. I was wondering if there's a particular reason the recommendation is so much higher here?

[BeadinMom]

Folic Acid is part of the B-Complex vitamins and is water soluble. It's very important for the proper formation of the brain and spinal cord.
It is VERY difficult to even come close to overdosing...your body just flushes out what it doesn't need.

[Cinss]

Some of the other supps you take can reduce the amount of FA that you absorb, so to be on the safe side you need to take a big dose, it definatly wont hurt you. In our pre natal alone there is 700mg of FA.

[Tiggerian]

Yea I know what folic acid does - its just that the recommendation over here (UK) is only 400. I was just wondering if there was a particular reason for it being higher on here. :P

[Cinss]

There is not much FA in the foods that you girls on LE diet are eating, so you need more from supps.

[BeadinMom]

It's the same reason the folic acid limits for the boy diet are so high, too...
Diet and supplements cause folic acid to be flushed from your body.

[bigchrista]

My Ob here in the US told me I only needed 400mcg but If I wanted to take more than that, it wouldnt hurt.

[The Anchor]

Hiya,

The general recommendation here in the UK is that you take 400 microgram folicacid a day. I was wondering if there's a particular reason the recommendation is so much higher here?

I wanted to give my 2 cents...mainly because I asked this exact question but the other way around. My doc here in Canada is British. And she recommended I take 5mg a day, and although that isn't the recommendation in Canada she said it is recommended for "mature" moms back in the UK.

Anyway, there are cons to taking such a high dose, see Atomic's explanation here:

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-discussion-ttc-boy-girl-home-swaying-info/11363-can-you-take-too-much-folic-acid.html

[atomic sagebrush]

the general recommendation for adults is 400 mcg here too. But doctors have come to realize that isn't always enough for women of childbearing age and often recommend 800 for everyone and then up to 2000-4000 for anyone who is older, has had repeat miscarriages, or a child with neural tube defects. Additionally, there is a set of disorders where people need a lot more folic than other people or you have a way higher risk of late miscarriage, and these are pretty common - several people on IG and here had them.

Pink swayers are eating a lot more restricted diet, whereas blue swayers are drinking green tea and some are using BSD and other things that deplete folic acid, so both groups need some extra.