Excessive consumption of folic acid can mask symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to anemia and neurological damage. Folate is important for heart health and preventing birth defects, but too much can be obtained through supplements and fortified foods, leading to toxicity. Pregnant women and older people are encouraged to supplement their intake, but excessive folate can also hide symptoms of dementia. Natural food sources of folate do not pose a risk of overdose.
A person can be deficient in vitamin B12 and be completely unaware of this condition due to excessive consumption of folic acid. When folate is obtained from dietary sources, folate overdose is extremely rare. However, signs of folate overdose can occur in people who take folate supplements or eat too many folic acid-fortified foods.
Folate, also known as folic acid, is the term used to identify the B vitamin in various forms. It is known to help lower the risk of developing heart disease and is helpful in preventing birth defects. In the United States, folic acid is commonly added to foods such as breads and cereals. Although rare, too much folate can be obtained from the body through these enriched sources. Folate also occurs naturally in foods such as spinach, turnip greens, peas, beans, wheat germ, and broccoli, but there is no danger in getting too much folate from any of these sources.
Some who do not get enough folate through food sources are encouraged to supplement their intake of this nutrient with vitamin supplements. Adequate levels of folic acid are particularly important for older people and others at risk of developing heart disease, as well as for pregnant and lactating women. A folate deficiency during pregnancy can lead to maldevelopment of the neural tube that surrounds the baby’s spinal cord, brain, and central nervous system. This poor development can lead to lifelong disabilities, such as spina bifida, and can even lead to stillbirth.
While there is no danger of getting too much folate when the nutrient is obtained through natural food sources, there is a very slight risk of folate overdose by accessing the vitamin from folic acid-fortified foods, and an even greater risk of too much folate to be gained from supplements. Folate toxicity can trigger seizures in people with a history of seizures and who are taking medications to control their occurrence. However, more commonly, excess folic acid in the body hides the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Symptoms of a B12 deficiency, which may not get immediate attention due to excess folic acid, include anemia and neurological damage. This occurs because folic acid actually corrects a specific type of anemia, known as megaloblastic anemia. What folic acid does not correct, however, is the neurological damage that a vitamin B12 deficiency also causes.
Too much folate is of particular concern in aging populations, where people may use folate supplements to avoid heart disease. This is because the signs of a folate overdose, which are masking a vitamin B12 deficiency, can also hide the symptoms of dementia. While the first signs of mental decline are sometimes difficult to accept, early treatment can help slow the progression of related symptoms. Without early intervention, however, the neurological effects of dementia can progress more rapidly.
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