A new UC Davis study found that elevated levels of folic acid may aggravate metabolic complications associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency — a serious health concern that can lead to anemia and neurological damage. The results, which are published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that it is wise to avoid taking folic-acid supplements unless specifically advised by a physician.
“There have been concerns that some people may be getting too much folic acid through a combination of sources, and we wanted to determine if there were reasons for those concerns,” said Ralph Green, UC Davis professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and senior author of the study. “Our results show that higher levels of folic acid could set in motion a metabolic imbalance that leads to more serious B-12 deficiency.”
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