Vitamin B9

Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is especially important during periods of high growth, such as infancy, adolescence and pregnancy.

It is part of the B complex of vitamins, all of which help the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose, to energy.

The B complex vitamins are also essential in the breakdown of fats and protein. In addition, they aid in maintaining muscle tone along the lining of the digestive tract and promoting the health of the nervous system, skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and liver.

From anti aging perspective, of particular interest is that B9 vitamin works closely with vitamins B6 and B12 as well as the nutrients betaine and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) to control blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine.

Elevated levels of homocysteine appear to be linked to diseases such as heart disease, one of the leading killers of today.

In addition, B9 is important for proper brain function and plays an important role in mental and emotional health.

It aids in the production of DNA and RNA, and works closely together with vitamin B12 to regulate the formation of red blood cells and to help iron function properly in the body.

It has been advised by researchers that folic acid supplementation should always include Vitamin B12 supplementation, because folic acid can mask an underlying vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause permanent damage to the nervous system.

Also, some studies suggest that vitamin C prevents folic acid from being broken down too quickly in your body.

Vitamin B9 - Studies

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Baggott JE, Morgan SL, Ha T, et al. Inhibition of folate-dependent enzymes by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Biochem J. 1992;282(Pt 1):197-202.

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Cancers, Nutrition and Food. Washington, DC: World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research; 1997.

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Clarke R, Smith AD, Jobst KA, Refsum H, Sutton L, Veland PM. Folate, vitamin B12, and serum total homocysteine levels in confirmed Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 1998;55:1449-1455.

Cravo ML, Albuquerque CM, Salazar de Sousa L, et al. Microsatellite instability in non-neoplastic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis: effects of folate supplementation. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998;93:2060-2064.

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Ebly EM, Schaefer JP, Campbell NR, Hogan DB. Folate status, vascular disease and cognition in elderly Canadians. Age Ageing. 1998;27:485–491.

Eikelboom JW, Lonn E, Genest J, Hankey G, Yusuf S. Homocyst(e)ine and cardiovascular disease: a critical review of the epidemiologic evidence. Ann Intern Med. 1999;131:363-375.

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Giles WH, Kittner SJ, Croft JB, Anda RF, Casper ML, Ford ES. Serum folate and risk for coronary heart disease: Results from a cohort of US adults. Ann Epidemiol. 1998;8:490–496.

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Goodman MT, McDuffie K, Hernandez B, Wilkens LR, Selhub J. Case-control study of plasma folate, homocysteine, vitamin B12, and cysteine as markers of cervical dysplasia. Cancer. 2000;89(2):376-382.

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Kwasniewska A, Tukendorf A, Semczuk M. Folate deficiency and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 1997;18(6):526-530.

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Malinow MR, Duell PB, Hess DL, et al. Reduction of plasma homocyst(e)ine levels by breakfast cereal fortified with folic acid in patients with coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 1998;338:1009–1015.

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Miller AL, Kelly GS. Methionine and homocysteine metabolism and the nutritional prevention of certain birth defects and complications of pregnancy. Altern Med Rev. 1996;1(4):220-235.

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Omray A. Evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters of tetracylcine hydrochloride upon oral administration with vitamin C and vitamin B complex. Hindustan Antibiot Bull. 1981;23(VI):33-37.

Ortiz Z, Shea B, Suarez-Almazor ME, et al. The efficacy of folic acid and folinic acid in reducing methotrexate gastrointestinal toxicity in rheumatoid arthritis. A metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. J Rheumatol. 1998;25:36–43.

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Pogribna M, Melnyk S, Pogribny I, Chango A, Yi P, James SJ. Homocysteine metabolism in children with Down syndrome: in vitro modulation. Am J Genet. 2001;69(1):88-95.

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Seligmann H, Potasman I, Weller B, Schwartz M, Prokocimer M. Phenytoin-folic acid interaction: a lesson to be learned. Clin Neuropharmacol. 1999;22(5):268-272.

Sellers TA, Kushi LH, Cerhan JR, et al. Dietary folate intake, alcohol, and risk of breast cancer in a prospective study of postmenopausal women. Epidemiology. 2001;12(4):420-428.

Snowdon DA. Serum folate and the severity of atrophy of the neocortex in Alzheimer disease: findings from the Nun study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:993-998.

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Temple ME, Luzier AB, Kazierad DJ. Homocysteine as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Ann Pharmacother. 2000;34(1):57-65.

Thompson JR, Gerald PF, Willoughby ML, Armstrong BK. Maternal folate supplementation in pregnancy and protection against acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood: a case-controlled study. Lancet. 2001;358(9297):1935-1940.

Thomson SW, Heimburger DC, Cornwell PE, et al. Correlates of total plasma homocysteine: folic acid, copper, and cervical dysplasia. Nutrition. 2000;16(6):411-416.

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Wallock LM. Low seminal plasma folate concentrations are associated with low sperm density and count in male smokers and nonsmokers. Fertil Steril. 2001;75(2):252-259.

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