question for Al/vitamin supplements

[Sherry]

Hi, Al,
A few weeks ago, you mentioned folic acid supplements to Marty in regard occular health. Is this a supplement you take in addition to your multi vitamin? If so, what strength would be recommended? Hate to sound stupid, but is it just labeled Folic Acid on the bottle, or is it called something else? Going to Walgreens today and wanted to make sure I picked up the right thing.

 

[Guest]

It should be in the vitamin section labeled Folic Acid. 400 mcg is the usual non-prescription strength.

 

[Sherry]

another question, Al

another question, Al

Hey, Al,
Was that a 400 mg. supplement along with the 400 mgs already in my multivitamin? Thanks, Sherry

 

[Guest]

It is 400 micrograms (mcg). This is can also be written 0.4 mg. If you already have 400 mcg of folic acid in the vitamins you take, it is doubtful that you need any more. If you get above about 1000 mcg (1mg) you are probably just generating folate-rich urine. It appears to lower the level of homocysteine in your blood. High homocysteine levels may be associated with increased risk of heart attacks. It may also improve the linings of the veins.

Usually I try to stay away from things that vitamins "may" do. If every drug that looked good in rats made it to the prescription market, Wal Mart would be a giant pharmacy with the rest of the merchandise tucked into the area the pharmacy occupies. But folic acid seems to prevent many serious illnesses, it is extremely cheap and if you take less than about a handful of pills per day, it is pretty non-toxic. If even 1 or 2 of the serious conditions that it may prevent is true and it has so little toxicity and is not make some "snake oil" salesman rich, then I'm willing to go where the science is not ideal.

 

[Blanche]

Sherry:

I can't prove that folic acid helped my husbands vision problems that were caused by a stroke, but I believe there is a great possibility that it did. When his vision didn't return to normal or near normal in three months, prisim lenses were obtained. They helped and he was able to read, but he still had difficulties. Our doctor, who also has a degree in biochemistry and does recommend supplements, suggested 400 mg of folic acid. He also suggested that Al take Vitamin B12 for energy, and Vitamin B6. Apparently these three vitamins are used to reduce homocysteine, a leading indicator of heart disease. Since March of 2001, we have both been taking all three vitamins.
His eyes were tested every six months and each time there was great improvement. Now, the prisim correction is so slight that the eye doctor says he can probably do without it at next check-up. The B vitamins are water soluable. If your body has more than it needs, you'll just have expensive urine. I recently heard that folic acid also reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Regards,

Blanche