Folic acid is required for energy production in your body. It is considered brain food. Folic acid also helps to strengthen your body's immune system, and can help reduce and support normal mood. Folic acid works best when combined with vitamin C and vitamin B12. A good way to get folic acid in the diet is in a complete multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.

Folic acid is very important during pregnancy. Because it assists in the regulation of the formation of nerve cells in the fetus; studies show that folic acid can help prevent spina bifida, and anencephaly, which are neural tube defects. Folic acid may also help prevent premature births. It is best to start taking folic acid before becoming pregnant to realize the maximum benefit and is recommended for all women of child-bearing age.

Other functions include:

Recent research showed folic acid can reduce the amount of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood. Some studies have indicated lowering homocysteine levels is associated with healthy heart and circulation. High levels of blood homocysteine are present in an estimated 20 million Americans, or more than 1 out of every 3 people. 

"Increasing folic acid levels immediately "would potentially prevent 50,000 deaths from vascular causes per year," - Dr. Manuel Rene Malinow

"There is strong evidence that increased consumption of folic acid will prevent cardiovascular disease." -Godfrey P. Oakley, Jr., M.D., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"I have always stressed the importance of a balanced diet but, pragmatically speaking, people don't normally achieve a balanced diet. Considering this, adding a daily multivitamin containing folic acid can be an important step in disease prevention.'' -Dr. Lance Levy

"It will be prudent to ensure adequate dietary intake of folic acid because the weight of the evidence is substantial." - Dr. Meier J. Stampfer of the Harvard School of Public Health