Precautions when using folic acid

What are the side effects of folic acid?

Excessive intake of folic acid from food has no adverse effects, but additional supplementation should be taken with caution, and most adults have few side effects at doses below 1,000 micrograms (mcg) per day.

But long-term high doses of folic acid may cause abdominal cramping, bitter mouth, diarrhea, rash, sleep disturbance, irritability, confusion, nausea, upset stomach, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, skin reactions, seizures, gas, excitement Wait.

What are the safety precautions of folic acid? (9 points of taboo)

1. If you have ever had any abnormal allergic reaction to food or medicine, please be careful. You may have an allergic reaction. The symptoms include rash, itching, redness, and difficulty breathing.

2. It is safe to take folic acid orally in moderate amounts during pregnancy and breastfeeding, at a dose of about 300 to 400 mcg per day.

3. Excessive serum folic acid levels are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. 

4. Taking folic acid supplements may make seizures worse, especially in high doses.

5. Those who have undergone coronary angioplasty should use it with caution. Early studies have found that taking folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 may increase the risk of in-stent restenosis and increase target vessel reconstruction ( target vessel revascularization). 

6. Do not use in combination with anticonvulsant (anticonvulsant, used to treat epilepsy). Folic acid can increase the speed at which the body breaks down the drug, thereby reducing the efficacy of the drug. Related drug names are: Fosphenytoin (fosphenytoin), phenytoin (phenytoin), primidone (primidone).

7. Do not use in combination with the anticancer drug Methotrexate (methotrexate), because the drug is a folic acid antagonist, so the combined use may reduce the efficacy of the drug.

8. Do not use with central nervous system depressants: Barbiturates (Barbiturates) drugs may reduce drug efficacy.

9. Do not use in combination with the anti-malarial drug Pyrimethamine (pyrimidine), which may reduce the efficacy of the drug.