Although folic acid is essential for the proper development of the fetus, too high levels of folic acid can make offspring prone to obesity and type 2 diabetes, showed a study conducted in Portugal and published in the Journal of Endocrinology.
Scientists from the University of Porto and the Catholic University of Portugal gave female rats a dose of folic acid 20 times their daily requirement during the mating season and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The offspring of these rodents were more often obese and insulin resistant. They found that juvenile rats were deficient in adiponectin, a hormone that protects against type 2 diabetes and obesity. The female sex was more susceptible to the negative effects of folic acid. The offspring of rats consuming the recommended levels of folic acid had no similar problems.
Folic acid, delivered during pregnancy, reduces the risk of nervous system defects in babies and prevents spina bifida. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, healthy expectant mothers should consume 0,4 mg of folic acid daily. For women who have previously given birth to a child with a neural tube defect, it is recommended to take 5 mg per day.
Consuming a minimum of 0,4 mg of folic acid is very important for pregnant women, but our research shows that you can get too much good. Given the increased consumption of folic acid in fortified foods, multivitamins and other supplements, it is important to establish a safe upper limit for the daily intake, says study author Dr. Elisa Keating. (PAP)