A mother’s nutrition during the first month of pregnancy may be critical in determining a child’s risk of developing Down syndrome (DS), according to a recent study. In particular, researchers found that an adequate intake of iron and folic acid can significantly...
folic acid
Save Your Brain! Folic acid may protect against cognitive decline
According to a recent report, folate (folic acid), a B vitamin found in foods like leafy green vegetables and citrus fruit, may protect against cognitive decline in older adults. A team at Tufts University, led by Katherine L. Tucker, PhD, studied a group of...
Moms-to-Be: Vitamin linked to healthy birth weight
Mothers-to-be with lower levels of the vitamin folic acid in their body during early pregnancy are more likely to have babies with lower, or less healthy, birth weights, a study has revealed. Conversely, researchers, who examined nearly 1,000 women and their newborn...
Folic acid among top heart nutrients
Attendees at the American Heart Association’s 58th Annual High Blood Pressure Research Conference heard evidence that women who consumed more than 800 mcg/day of folic acid reduced their risk of high blood pressure by almost a third compared to those who consumed less...
Reducing the Risk: Folic acid lowers risk of ovarian cancer
Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin that has been shown to play an important role in DNA synthesis and repair. Previous studies have shown that a low intake of folic acid may be associated with an increased risk of breast and colorectal cancer, especially among...
Supplements improve male infertility
Fertility problems affect about one in six couples and 30% of cases are linked to improper sperm production. For couples with this issue, two recent studies highlight the benefits of nutritional supplements. At the University of Ancona in Italy, a pilot study examined...
B for the Brain: B-12 linked to risk for memory problems among elderly
Among healthy people over the age of 75 who have the genotype associated with higher risk for Alzheimer’s, low levels of vitamin B-12 are associated with significantly worse performance on memory tests. Scientists already knew of a genetic predisposition for...
Vitamin Prevents Cancer: Folic acid lowers childhood cancer incidence
A research team at The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has shown that folic acid food fortification has resulted in a 60% reduction in the incidence of neuroblastoma, a deadly childhood cancer. “Our research indicates that this...
Smokers Lose Important Vitamin; Second-hand exposure also robs folic acid
Exposure to cigarette smoke may rob people of folate (also known as folic acid), an important vitamin that helps protect against a variety of diseases, including a number of birth defects, a large nationwide study concludes. Both active smokers and those exposed to...
Folic Acid Findings: B-vitamin may have role in depression
People with depression may spend a lifetime working through their illness but what they may not know is that because they have depression, they’ll need to maintain their nutritional health as well. The latest news from Tufts University researchers shows that folate, a...