Folic Acid Description

Folic Acid - Folic Acid and folate are forms of a water-soluble B vitamin. Folic Acid and folate occur naturally in food. Folic acid is the synthetic form of this vitamin and is found in supplements and fortified foods. Folic Acid gets its name from the Latin word "folium" for leaf. A key observation of researcher Lucy Wills nearly 70 years ago led to the identification of folate as the nutrient needed to prevent anemia related to pregnancy. Folate was identified as the corrective substance in yeast extract in the late 1930s and was extracted from spinach leaves in 1941. Folate is also necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells. This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folic Acid is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Both adults and children need folic acid to make normal red blood cells and to prevent anemia.