Originally published October 3 2005
Pediatric study shows that folic acid has helped to reduce birth defects in the U.S.
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that since 1998, when the FDA fortified the nation's grain with folic acid, birth defects have decreased by more than one-third.
The rate of spina bifida and anencephaly birth defects has fallen by more than one-third since the addition of folic acid to the nation's enriched flours, rice and pastas in 1998, according to a study released today.
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, prompted a renewed call from some scientists and health advocates for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to double the required fortification levels to further reduce the rate of the birth defects.
"We would like the FDA to reconsider this matter, hold hearings and act as soon as they can."
Other scientists, however, said not enough is known about the consequences of enriching food with folic acid and cautioned that even rare side effects could affect a significant number of people when the entire population is receiving the vitamin through food.
Spina bifida and anencephaly, known as neural-tube defects, arise when the spinal column of a developing embryo does not properly close during the first weeks of pregnancy.
Because the vitamin is needed so early in pregnancy, by the time many women discover they are pregnant it is too late for a folic-acid supplement to help prevent the defects.
After much debate among health researchers, the FDA mandated that starting in 1998, 140 micrograms of the vitamin be added to each 100 grams of grains that are labeled as "enriched."
In 2001, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that U.S. rates of spina bifida and anencephaly had fallen by almost 20 percent.
Other research has suggested that as much as 75 percent of all neural-tube defects could be prevented by a higher level of folic-acid fortification, he said.
Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a CDC clinical geneticist and a co-author of the paper, said women of childbearing age can ensure they are getting 400 micrograms of folic acid each day by taking multivitamins, folic acid supplements or fortified breakfast cereals.
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