A decade or so ago, the word was that all women of child-bearing age needed a folic acid (folate) supplement to prevent neural-tube defects, a devastating birth defect which often occurred before a woman even knows she's pregnant, from happening. The cry was so strong that the government decided to fortify bread products with folate, saving countless families from
But then reports started coming in about increases in colorectal cancer rates in countries that fortified the food supply with folic acid.
The dual role of folate is summarized nicely in this recent issue of the journal from the American Cancer Research Center. In the end, who you are determines how much folate (or folic acid - the better absorbed formfound in supplements) you need: young women, go for it; older folks with family histories of cancer, no need unless you have a special reason like being on methotrexate, to take extra folic acid.
This dichotomy is a hint of things to come: a nutrient that's perfect for one group, and detrimental to another. As we learn more and more about nutrition and about genetics, the individualization of our ideal diet and supplementation will continue. That's a good thing, if you're reading the right reports or have the ear of a good dietitian. In this column, I'll point you to those resources to keep you informed of what may work for you as well as the latest miracle elixir that, minus the marketing, is just another colored sugar water.
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