Should men take folic acid is a question that maybe not enough women or men ask! I think that it is a reasonably well known fact that women need to take it both before conception and during pregnancy but the facts about men taking it are less clear. It is recommended that women take folic acid for at least a month before conceiving and for the first trimester of the pregnancy. It is not recommended that it is taken after 30 weeks as there has been anecdotal evidence of it having bad side effects after this time, including the small risk of the child getting asthma in later life.
The reason for taking folic acid is that this has been shown to significantly reduce the chance of a baby being born with Neural Tube Defects (NTDs). These are defects that generally affect the spine and nerves of the baby and the most well known of these is Spina Bifida. It is estimated that taking folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects by 50 to 70%.
Folic Acids
So in answer to the question 'Should Men Take Folic Acid?', the answer is actually yes. It does not only apply to women. Although it is not a government recommendation like it is for women who are trying to become pregnant, it is advisable that men also take folic acid supplements for a few months before trying to have a baby with their partner.
The reason that men should take folic acid is that it has been shown to improve the quality of the sperm that a man produces. This can also reduce the risks of their partner giving birth to a baby with an NTD. But not only this, as it improves the quality of sperm, this also improves the woman's chances of getting pregnant. With more mobile sperm, the chances of conceiving are increased.
So how much folic acid should a man take? Well the recommended dose for both men and women is the same at 400 micrograms a day. It is advisable to take this as a vitamin supplement as, although a lot of food including leafy green vegetables, some fortified cereals and some breads contain folate, the intake of folate (the natural form of folic acid) just from food is not likely to be as much as 400 micrograms per day (and in any case it is not possible to overdose on it so you can take more than 400 mcg per day if you combine the supplement with the natural form).
It is also recommended that men take some other vitamins to improve the quality of their sperm, such as vitamin C and vitamin E as well as zinc. So the best bet is to try and get hold of a multivitamin supplement that includes all of the above vitamins and take this on a daily basis, if you can for 3 months before conception.
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Folic Acid Feature
- Plays an important role in the synthesis of several types of amino acids.
- Needed for energy production.
- Essential in the formation of red blood cells.
- Important in cell division, replication, and protein synthesis.
- Strengthens immunity.
Folic Acid Overview
Folic Acid is a B vitamin and is one of the factors involved with vitamin B-12 in the production of new red blood cells and the synthesis of RNA and DNA, the carriers of genetic information.SAVE NOW on the special offers below!
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