What is folic acid and its benefit?

To know what is folic acid, you only need to read the headlines from the latest health and fitness news. You only need to read your breakfast cereal box, your bag of bread, or any other food product that is a great source of this B vitamin. That is because folic acid, also known as folate, is an essential vitamin, meaning your body requires it for day to day functions and duties.

It is a B-vitamin that is essential for the production of such important parts of your body as red blood cells. It is also key to your body's normal metabolism. You can see the benefit of and exactly what is folic acid in the way that your body reacts when it doesn't get enough of the B vitamin. A deficiency in the vitamin can lead to folic acid deficiency anemia. It can put you at higher risk for heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. Pregnant women can also feel the benefit of it, as the vitamin is crucial for the proper development of their fetuses.

There are not just one other benefit of folate. There are many great side effects of the B vitamin. It can help to fight the onset of depression, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses. It can prevent atherosclerosis, blood vessel plaque, myocardial infarction (or heart attacks), and other forms of heart disease. Another benefit is their work against diarrhea, epilepsy, periodontal (or gum) disease, gout, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and restless legs syndrome.

Scientists have been trying to discover exactly what is folate, and they believe in your body one of the major purposes is to remove a chemical called homocysteine. Too much of this protein called homocysteine, scientists attempting to define what is folic acid have found, can lead to changes in vascular morphology, or the changing shape of your blood vessels. These scientists on the look out for what is it have also found that too much homocysteine can cause many other problems in your blood vessels and in your cardiovascular system in general. Part of the problem is that homocysteine can cause damage called oxidative stress to your arteries.

These doctors and experts, who are in the business of uncovering what is folate for certain, have listed several enzymes, numerous agents, many drugs, certain diseases, and other lifestyle factors that can have an impact on the levels of homocysteine in your system. But the number one way to hurt yourself with homocysteine is to have a folic acid deficiency. It is considered the most common cause of hyperhomocysteinemia, or high homocysteine levels. The number one way to help yourself then, and get the full benefit, is to have an adequate intake of at least 400 micrograms of folate per day. Increase your folate load, according to scientists who study what is folic acid, if your drink alcohol a lot or take oral contraceptives.