| Used for
| Amount | Why |
|---|
Abnormal Pap Smear | 10 mg daily under medical supervision |  [3 stars] Large amounts of folic acid have been shown to improve the abnormal Pap smears of some women who are taking birth control pills. |
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Birth Defects | At least 400 mcg daily | [3 stars] Supplementing with folic acid before and during the early weeks of pregnancy dramatically reduces the risk of neural tube defects. |
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Depression and Folic Acid Deficiency | See a doctor for evaluation | [3 stars] Taking folic acid can help correct deficiencies associated with depression. |
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Gingivitis | 5 ml of a 0.1% solution used as a mouth rinse twice per day | [3 stars] Rinsing with a folic acid solution may help reduce inflammation and bleeding. |
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High Homocysteine
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | 400 to 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily, 10 to 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily, and 50 to 300 mcg of vitamin B12 daily | [3 stars] Vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 all play a role in converting homocysteine to other substances within the body and have consistently lowered homocysteine levels in trials. |
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Neuropathy
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | 2,000 mcg methylcobalamin (B12); 3,000 mcg methylfolate (B9); and 35 mg pyridoxal 5-phosphate once to twice daily | [3 stars] B vitamins, and vitamin B12 in particular, may be helpful in treating various types of neuropathies. People with type 2 diabetes taking metformin should be monitored for B12 deficiency. |
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Pregnancy and Postpartum Support | 800 mcg daily, beginning before pregnancy | [3 stars] Supplementing with folic acid protects against the formation of birth defects, such as spina bifida. It also may lead to fewer infections for mothers and higher birth weight for babies. |
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Schizophrenia and Folic Acid Deficiency | If deficient: 10 to 20 mg a day under medical supervision | [3 stars] People with schizophrenia may have a tendency to be deficient in folic acid and they may see improvements when given supplements. |
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Type 2 Diabetes | 6 mg methylfolate daily | [3 stars] Folic acid supplementation may improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Folic acid also lowers homocysteine levels and preliminary evidence suggests it may help to prevent and treat diabetes complications. |
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Age-Related Cognitive Decline | 800 mcg per day
|  [2 stars] Folic acid has been shown to slow the rate of cognitive decline in people with high homocysteine levels and in elderly people. |
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Age-Related Cognitive Decline
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | Refer to label instructions
| [2 stars] In women with cardiovascular disease or related risk factors and low dietary intake of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, supplementing with a combination of these nutrients may protect against age-related cognitive decline. |
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Atherosclerosis | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] Blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine have been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease in most research. Taking folic acid may help lower homocysteine levels. |
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Breast Cancer | 400 mcg daily | [2 stars] For women who drink alcohol, folic acid may reduce breast cancer risk by reversing the damaging effect alcohol has on DNA. |
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Celiac Disease
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | 3 mg vitamin B6, 0.8 mg folic acid, and 0.5 mg vitamin B12 | [2 stars] Daily supplementation with a combination of vitamin B6 (3 mg), folic acid (0.8 mg), and vitamin B12 (0.5 mg) have been shown to help relieve depression in people with celiac disease. |
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Celiac Disease | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] The malabsorption that occurs in celiac disease can lead to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Supplementing with folic acid may correct a deficiency. |
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Halitosis and Gum Disease | Use 5 ml twice per day of a 0.1% solution | [2 stars] Folic acid is often recommended by doctors to help prevent and treat periodontitis and has been shown to reduce the severity of gingivitis when taken as a mouthwash. |
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Heart Attack | 500 to 800 mcg daily | [2 stars] Taking folic acid may reduce blood levels of homocysteine. High homocysteine levels have been linked to an increased heart attack risk. |
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Intermittent Claudication
(Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Fish Oil, Oleic Acid, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E) | 200 mg of EPA and 130 mg of DHA daily, plus small amounts of vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin E, oleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid | [2 stars] In one study, men with intermittent claudication who drank a milk product fortified with fish oil, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin E, oleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid could walk further without pain than those who drank regular milk. |
|
Macular Degeneration
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | 2.5 mg folic acid, 50 mg vitamin B6, and 1 mg vitamin B12
| [2 stars] In a double-blind study of female health professionals who had cardiovascular disease or risk factors, daily supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 significantly decreased age-related macular degeneration.
|
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Migraine Headache
(For a subset of people
) | 5 mg per day
| [2 stars] Taking folic acid may improve migraines in people with high homocysteine levels and a certain genetic characteristic.
|
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Osteoporosis and High Homocysteine | 5 mg with 1,500 mcg of vitamin B12 daily | [2 stars] Homocystinuria, a condition associated with high homocysteine levels, frequently causes osteoporosis. By lowering homocysteine levels, folic acid may help prevent osteoporosis. |
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Preeclampsia | 5 mg daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with folic acid and vitamin B6 may lower homocysteine levels. Elevated homocysteine damages the lining of blood vessels and can lead to preeclamptic symptoms. |
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Schizophrenia and High Homocysteine
(Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12) | Take folic acid (2 mg), vitamin B6 (25 mg), and vitamin B12 (400 mcg) daily | [2 stars] People with schizophrenia who have high homocysteine levels may improve symptoms by supplementing with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. |
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Sickle Cell Anemia and High Homocysteine | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] In one trial, patients with sickle cell anemia who were given folic acid plus aged garlic extract, vitamin C, and vitamin E saw significant improvement and less painful crises. |
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Skin Ulcers | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] Large amounts of folic acid given both orally and by injection could promote healing of chronic skin ulcers due to poor circulation. |
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Thalassemia | If deficient: 250 to 1,000 mcg daily | [2 stars] Some studies have found people with thalassemia to be frequently deficient in folic acid, taking folic acid supplements may help. |
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Ulcerative Colitis | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] People with ulcerative colitis may be at a higher risk of colon cancer, supplementing with folic acid may reduce the risk. |
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Vitiligo | Refer to label instructions
| [2 stars] Studies have shown folic acid to be effective at skin repigmentation in people with vitiligo. |
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Alzheimer’s Disease | Refer to label instructions
|  [1 star] Some researchers feel Alzheimer’s disease may be related to folic acid deficiency. |
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Bipolar Disorder | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Folic acid deficiency is associated with both mania and depression. Getting enough folic acid helps the body manufacture serotonin and other neurotransmitters. |
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Colon Cancer | 400 mcg daily | [1 star] Folic acid appears to help prevent colon cancer, especially in people with ulcerative colitis and people who drink alcohol. |
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Crohn’s Disease | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Folic acid is needed to repair intestinal cells damaged by Crohn’s disease. Supplementation may offset some of the deficiency caused by Crohn’s-related malabsorption. |
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Depression | See a doctor for evaluation | [1 star] Taking folic acid can help correct deficiencies associated with depression. |
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Dermatitis Herpetiformis | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Supplementing with folic acid can counteract the nutrient deficiency that often occurs as a result of malabsorption. |
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Diarrhea | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Folic acid can help repair intestinal lining damage caused by acute diarrhea. |
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Down Syndrome | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] People with Down syndrome may be deficient in folic acid and may benefit from supplementation. |
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Epilepsy | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Folic acid may help reduce epileptic seizure frequency, people taking anticonvulsant medications should talk to their doctor before deciding whether to use folic acid. |
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Gingivitis | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] In pill form, folic acid may improve gingivitis symptoms, although one study found the mouth rinse form to be more effective. |
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HIV and AIDS Support | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Low folic acid levels are also common in HIV-positive people, supplementing may help correct a deficiency. |
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Lung Cancer | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Together, folic acid and vitamin B12 help cells replicate normally. In one trial, smokers with precancerous lung changes who were given folic acid and vitamin B12 saw a significant reversal of their condition. |
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Peripheral Vascular Disease | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] As with other vascular diseases, people with thromboangiitis obliterans are more likely to have low levels of folic acid. Supplementing with folic acid may help correct a deficiency. |
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Psoriasis | Only for people who are not taking prescription drugs such as methotrexate that interfere with folic acid metabolism | [1 star] High amounts of folic acid have been shown to improve psoriasis. |
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Restless Legs Syndrome | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] People with familial restless leg syndrome appear to have an unusually high requirement for folic acid. Supplementing with folic acid may help relieve uncomfortable sensations. |
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Seborrheic Dermatitis | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Supplementing with folic acid has been shown to improve adult seborrheic dermatitis. |
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Stroke and High Homocysteine | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Elevated blood levels of homocysteine have been linked to stroke risk in most studies. Supplementing with folic acid may lower homocysteine levels and reduce stroke risk. |
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Thromboangiitis Obliterans | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] As with other vascular diseases, people with thromboangiitis obliterans are more likely to have low levels of folic acid. Supplementing with folic acid may help correct a deficiency. |
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