[Medical Q&A] “All medicines are poisonous”, will folic acid supplementation also cause harm?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Zhao Jie, Chief Pharmacist Professor of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University

Folic acid is an important nutrient during pregnancy. For women who are preparing for pregnancy and pregnant mothers, reasonable folic acid supplementation is crucial for the health of mother and baby. Appropriate supplementation will benefit both mother and baby. Women who are preparing for pregnancy or pregnant mothers without high-risk factors can supplement no more than 1 mg of folic acid per day, which is beneficial and harmless to pregnant mothers and babies. However, long-term large-dose folic acid supplementation may cause some adverse consequences, such as zinc deficiency in the body, causing abnormal fetal development and damage to the health of pregnant mothers; masking vitamin B12 deficiency, causing physical weakness, neurasthenia, pernicious anemia, and difficulty walking and speaking; causing colon adenoma to become cancerous, increasing the risk of breast cancer in the future, etc.

Therefore, pregnant women or pregnant mothers should not think that more folic acid supplements are better and increase the amount of supplements on their own. Pregnant women or pregnant mothers with high-risk factors usually take a larger dose of folic acid, but it is safe and effective to take it under the guidance of a doctor. Remember to take it according to the doctor's advice.