06.07.2024.
Folate is a B vitamin naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material and for your cells to divide. A form of folate called folic acid is used in fortified foods and most dietary supplements.
According to the USA National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, folate is essential for these vital functions.
How much folate do I need?
The amount of folate you need depends on your age. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg) of dietary folate equivalents (DFEs).
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
| Birth to 6 months | 65 mcg DFE |
| Infants 7–12 months | 80 mcg DFE |
| Children 1–3 years | 150 mcg DFE |
| Children 4–8 years | 200 mcg DFE |
| Children 9–13 years | 300 mcg DFE |
| Teens 14–18 years | 400 mcg DFE |
| Adults 19+ years | 400 mcg DFE |
| Pregnant teens and women | 600 mcg DFE |
| Breastfeeding teens and women | 500 mcg DFE |
The measure of mcg DFE is used because your body absorbs more folic acid from fortified foods and dietary supplements than folate found naturally in foods.
Compared to folate found naturally in foods, you actually need less folic acid to get the recommended amounts. For example, 240 mcg of folic acid and 400 mcg of folate are both equal to 400 mcg DFE.
All women and teen girls who could become pregnant should consume 400 mcg of folic acid daily from supplements, fortified foods, or both in addition to the folate they get from following a healthy eating pattern.
What foods provide folate?
Folate is naturally present in many foods, and folic acid is added to some foods. You can get recommended amounts by eating various foods, including the following.
Folate is naturally present in:
- Beef liver
- Vegetables (especially asparagus, brussels sprouts, and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and mustard greens)
- Fruits and fruit juices (especially oranges and orange juice)
- Nuts, beans, and peas (such as peanuts, black-eyed peas, and kidney beans)
Folic acid is added to the following foods:
- Enriched bread, flour, cornmeal, pasta, and rice
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Fortified corn masa flour (used to make corn tortillas and tamales, for example)
To find out whether a food has added folic acid, look for folic acid on its Nutrition Facts label.
Does folate interact with medications or other dietary supplements?
Folate supplements can interact with several medications. Here are some examples:
- Folate supplements could interfere with methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) when taken to treat cancer.
- Taking antiepileptic or antiseizure medications, such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, Equetro, Epitol), and valproate (Depacon), could reduce blood levels of folate. Taking folate supplements could also reduce blood levels of these medications.
- Taking sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) for ulcerative colitis ulcerative colitis could reduce the body’s ability to absorb folate and cause folate deficiency.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist, and other healthcare providers about any dietary supplements and medicines you take.
They can tell you if those dietary supplements might interact or interfere with your prescription or over-the-counter medicines or if the medicines might interfere with how your body absorbs, uses, or breaks down nutrients.
