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In
the Spotlight
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| November
23, 2000 |
Vital
Vitamins: Folic Acid And Pyridoxine
By Michael Woo-Ming, MD, MPH
PersonalMD.com Medical Contributor
|
 Lets
face it; Vitamins rarely get a bad press. And the more research we
are doing on vitamins the greater the benefits seem to be. Vitamins
are nutrients that our body needs to maintain good health. And two
in particular, folic acid and pyridoxine, have stepped up into the
forefront. These are water-soluble vitamins that are members of the
Vitamin B family. It's a given fact the average American diet does
not give the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) as detailed by the
Food and Nutritional Board of the National Academy of Sciences and
daily supplementation is key to receive the rewards of these vitamins.
Folic Acid: Deficiency
A deficiency in folic acid may lead to anemia, which means there is
not enough blood in the body. People who drink alcohol excessively
or suffer from prolonged illnesses often do not have enough stores
of folic acid. It has also been concluded that folic acid supplementation
is essential for pregnant women or women of child bearing age in order
to avoid neural tube defects in infants, such as spina bifida. 400
IU of daily folic acid supplementation is recommended. Folic acid
may be found in most foods such as green vegetables, potatoes, cereals
and grains, but diet alone may not be enough to prevent these neurological
conditions.
Recent studies suggest folic supplementation may prevent a variety
of diseases. Although the medical community is divided on the validity
of some of these research trials, some studies suggest that folic
acid may help with:
-
Depression
and other mental disorders: Folic acid has been found to help with
sleep and mood and may exert a mild-antidepressant effect especially
in the elderly;
- Stroke
and heart attack prevention: Along with pyridoxine, folic acid is thought
to eliminate a compound known as homocysteine, whose blood levels have
been found to be elevated in those who have significant cardiac disease;
- Cancer
prevention: Ongoing studies show those with low levels of folic acid
may predispose people to cervical and colon malignancies.
Pyridoxine:
Deficiency
Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine has been found to play an essential role in
the nervous system and aids in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates
and proteins. The Recommended Daily Allowance is 2 mg a day. Deficiency
of Vitamin B-6 can cause nerve problems, such as memory and concentration
deficits, as well as dry and sore mouth irritation. Sources of B-6 include
soybeans, baked potatoes, bananas, fish, poultry and whole grains. Current
medical uses include its ability to treat people who overdose on Isoniazid,
a drug used in tuberculosis.
We are learning more each day about the potential uses of pyridoxine.
Current research include:
Contrary
to popular thinking, mega-doses of these vitamins have not found to be
helpful and may be toxic to the body. It's important to always discuss
with your physician any vitamin supplementation before starting out.
References:
Current Perspectives on Pyridoxine-Dependent Seizures. Gospe SM Jr. Journal
of Pediatrics. 1998 Jun; 132(6): 919-23.
Folic acid for the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects. American Academy
of Pediatrics. Committee on Genetics. Pediatrics. 1999 Aug; 104(2 Pt 1):
325-7 1999 Aug; 104(2 Pt 1): 325-7.
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