How much Folic Acid is too much? Okay to take extra?

[Allie1980]

Hi there---

I had a miscarriage and a chemical pregnancy this summer.  I think I may be pregnant again and I'm taking extra folic acid.  I've heard that sometimes those with bloodclotting issues need to take extra folic acid.  I don't know if I have one of those issues, but I figured it couldn't hurt to take extra.

I'm also a heavier person, so I figured extra folic acid might be okay for me too...

Is there a number of folic acid that is TOO MUCH?  What is your opinion?

[rae5040]

I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to take extra folic acid because it can affect the baby. You might try googling it or something to that sort or maybe contact your doctor. Better to be safe than sorry. Maybe cut back to 400mg a day until you find out for sure. Most prenatal vitamins only have 100-400micrograms in them so.... something to compare to.
Good luck and I hope you get your BFP!!

[myproblem]

400mcg is what's in a regular otc vitamin. A prescription prenatal has 1 mg (1000mcg) folic acid. I don't think it would be a good idea to take more than that. I hope that if you are pg again, that this time will be the lucky charm. Are you doing the daily baby asprin, and progesterone, just to be safe?

[JJety]

That's exactly right.  The OTC prenatals have 800 mcg and I think most prescriptions have 1000 mcg of folic acid.  

Your doctor may prescribe more than that (as mine did) depending on your individual situation but I don't think you should independently choose to take a supplement.

[Tasha456]

When I first found out I was pregnant my Gyno(used to be an OBGYN) told me to take an over the counter prenatal vitamin with an extra folic acid.  So, I would call and ask your doctor what they think.

[rae5040]

Ok, I found a website, at babyhopes.com It's an article but it could be of some help. On average, you should take 600-800mcg of folic acid a day. It is water soluble so excess will flush out of your system. And prenatals have around this amount in them. Hope this helped.

[twiceadopt]

i was taking 400 a day plus whatever was in multivitamins... after discontinuing multivitamins bc of nausea, i upped it to 800 a day of folic acid. i'm pretty sure thats about as high as you want to go.

[low22]

hey girlie. I've been taking 1000mcg since last March or so. I wouldn't go over that amount unless you have doc's permission.

[Allie1980]

Thanks for all of your help!!!!  I didn't know that perscription prenatals had 1000 mcg of FOlic acid.  I do have prescription prenatals, so I guess I'll just take those.  

I should try not to worry, but like that's something I can do. S heesh!  I'm at 9 dpo and I'm dumb and took a HPT and of course BFN.  I knew it would be, but I did it.  OH well.  I will wait until Saturday or Sunday.


Thanks

[boogaloo]

If you have had issues with neurotube defects, you may be prescribed up to 4 mg (4000 mcg).  Your body will flush out what it doesn't need.  Depending on your ob, the standard amount of folic is between 600 to 1000 mcg during pregnancy.  Definately speak to your ob and see if they feel it is  necessary to take more then the standard dosage.

[christiem]

I would go and get your prescription filled. Wal-mart has 400 and 800mg. I have had 6 unexplained miscarriages and am currently 5w6d pregnant. I have to take progesterone and extra folic acid because I recently been diagnosed with MTHFR which is that blood clotting disorder that prevents blood flow to the fetus which also needs extra f/a. I pray for this pregnancy. It was a simple lab blood test that no doctor has thought to run after 6 losses.

CONGRATULATIONS,
Christie

[vannessa]

Hi, this is a very good article.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you & I hope very soon you'll get your BFP:)

I have a BCD and the doc gave me prenatals with extra folic acid.

I just read this really good article about folic acid. Some researchers believe that taking extra folic acid might help decrease the risk of m/c and stillbirth.

How much do you need?
A month before you start trying to get pregnant, you should be taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day to reduce your baby's risk of neural tube defects. (Your baby's neural tube starts to develop about three weeks after conception, which is about as soon as you're likely to find out you're pregnant.) In fact, since half of pregnancies are unplanned, the U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women of childbearing age get 400 mcg of folic acid each day.

Once you're pregnant, you'll need at least 600 mcg daily, although many practitioners suggest 800 mcg and some prenatal vitamins contain 1,000 mcg. Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, so your body will flush out the excess if you take too much. For some women, there's an exception to this rule; getting too much folate may hide a B12 deficiency. It's uncommon to be low in B12 if you're a healthy young woman with a varied diet, but it can be a problem for you if you're a vegetarian, particularly if you don't consume dairy products. Ask your healthcare provider if you think you may be at risk.

Women who've had a child with a neural tube defect have a significantly higher risk of having a second with the same defect. Healthcare providers now advise these women to take ten times as much folic acid — 4,000 mcg or 4 milligrams (mg) — starting one month before conception and continuing through the first three months of pregnancy. See your practitioner for a prescription for the supplement if you fall into this category.

Should you take a supplement?
Definitely. If you're like most people, you don't get the amount of folate you need from your diet, and research shows that the body actually absorbs the synthetic version of this vitamin (found in supplements and enriched foods) much better than the version that occurs naturally in certain foods. On the days you can't stomach your prenatal vitamin in early pregnancy, at least take a separate folic acid supplement. (These pills are small and easy to get down.) But eating plenty of folate-rich foods won't hurt either, since the recommended daily amount you're supposed to get from your supplement is designed to complement the amount you're likely to get from food sources.

What are the best food sources?
Food manufacturers are required by the Food and Drug Administration to add folic acid to enriched grain products such as breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, and rice so that each serving contains at least 20 percent of the daily requirement, and some breakfast cereals contain 100 percent (400 mcg) or more. Dark leafy greens are also a good source of folate, as are legumes such as lentils and chickpeas. Other sources include the following:
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils: 179 mcg

• 1 cup boiled collard greens: 177 mcg

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas: 141 mcg

• 1 medium papaya: 115 mcg

• 1 cup cooked frozen peas: 94 mcg

• 4 spears steamed or boiled asparagus: 88 mcg

• 1/2 cup steamed broccoli: 52 mcg

• 1 cup strawberries: 40 mcg

• 1 medium orange: 39 mcg

What are signs of a deficiency?
The signs of folic acid deficiency can be subtle. You may have diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss, as well as weakness, a sore tongue, headaches, heart palpitations, and irritability. If you're only mildly deficient, you may not notice any symptoms at all, but you won't be getting the optimal amount you need for your baby's early embryonic development. That's why all women of childbearing age need to take folic acid, even if they feel perfectly well.