Folic Acid in Male Fertility

[glintcranium]

I am four months pregnant and I am taking folic acid, calcium and iron supplements. I thought only women requires folic acid but apparently folic acid may improve men's chances of fathering a child aside from it helps the body break down, use and create new proteins. It helps form red blood cells and create new DNA. I just thought of sharing this with you guys

 

[Re-Ride]

Hi Glint, Thank you for your post. Folic acid and folate tend to get used interchangeably. There are many who regard the former as inappropriate for men in any quantity. Men are forced to go to great lengths to avoid folic acid. When it was discovered years ago that the incidence of spina bfida could be reduced by giving pregnant woman folic acid, a synthetic form of folate, early in pregnancy, the government in all its magnificent wisdom decided that mandatory enrichment of flour would be a great idea.

I'm firmly n the camp that regards folic acid in food and men's supplements as an adulterant.

 

[torrential]

Seconding Re-Ride's main points.

Folic acid is a chemical not found in nature. In lab experiments, and in a small fraction of the human population, it can be converted to the essential nutrient folate. In the rest of us it cannot, hence (among other things) the failure of this massive adulteration program to make significant impact on the occurrence of fetal neural tube defect.

 

[compassionatemom]

I am four months pregnant and I am taking folic acid, calcium and iron supplements. I thought only women requires folic acid but apparently folic acid may improve men's chances of fathering a child aside from it helps the body break down, use and create new proteins. It helps form red blood cells and create new DNA. I just thought of sharing this with you guys

I agree! I also heard about that. It is not only good for a pregnant woman but also to men's fertility. Vitamin B9 is actually same as folic acid. These could contribute to ensure a healthy baby.