A woman who becomes pregnant is prescribed by her obstetrician prenatal vitamin supplements. And one of the most important of these is folic acid. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate; folate is an essential B vitamin that plays an important role in many bodily functions. Folic acid supplementation has helped prevent many birth defects over the years, especially spina bifida. What many of us may not know is that flour and grains in most developed countries, including the US, are also fortified with folic acid for more than a decade now.

Unfortunately, recent research studies are casting doubt on the benefit of folic acid fortification and supplementation. Several clinical trials have shown for example that folic acid does not reduce risks of developing chronic diseases and may even have some adverse effects. Below I summarize some of the studies on folic acid supplementation.

Folic acid and its effects on the genes of offspring

Researchers from the University of Toronto have observed in mice that folic acid supplementation during pregnancy induces changes in the genes of the offsprings. The changes may consist of either silencing or activating genes that suppress tumors. This suggests that maternal supplementation with folic acid can have an effect on the susceptibility of the offsprings to cancer.

Folic acid and heart disease

This clinical trial of Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston followed up 5,400 female health professionals for about 7.3 years. The results suggest that folic acid did not lower levels of the amino acid homocysteine, believed to be a biomarker for cardiovascular disease. Thus, folic acid supplemention does not reduce cardiovascular risks.

Folic acid and cancer

This study by researchers at Harvard Medical School looked at the effect of folic acid, vitamin B₆, and vitamin B₁₂ in reducing cancer risk in women. The results showed that a combination of these three vitamins did not protect women from breast cancer or total invasive cancer.

This recent research results raise the question of the benefits of folic acid fortification of food for the general population. Could it be that people in developed countries like the US are consuming too much folic acid? Could it be that long-term consumption of folic acid (as found in our food) can increase development of cancer in some people? Could folic acid supplementation during pregnancy increase cancer risk in the unborn child?

Currently, there isn’t enough evidence to change the clinical practice of taking folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. Several studies are ongoing to try to answer the aforementioned questions.

It’s a well-known fact. Breast milk is best for babies. In the process, mommy’s health is also benefited by reducing the risks of hormone-related diseases such as breast and cervical cancer.

Recent research indicates, however, that it’s not about the benefits of breastfeeding to mommy’s health. It’s more like the risks of not breastfeeding that should be looked into.

A recent study of 139,681 women indicates that breastfeeding even just for six months in a lifetime decreases a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD: hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes) come postmenopausal stage. The female hormones render women some protection against heart disease and related disorders. Once menopause sets in, this protection wanes, resulting in creased incidence of CVD in women.

The study found that with increasing duration of breastfeeding (cumulative), the risks for CVD decreases. And this risk reduction didn’t have to do with weight because study participants who breastfed and who didn’t, did not significantly differ in terms of body weight and body mass index (BMI). It has always been thought that breastfeeding helps get rid of pregnancy fat reserves. The study results did not confirm this. However, other protective effects, possibly related to the hormone oxytocin, may play a role. Oxytocin is the “feel good” hormone responsible for mother-baby bonding and strong maternal feelings but may also have some anti-stress effects that contribute to the well-being of the breastfeeding mom.

So is it the benefits of breastfeeding or the risks of not breastfeeding to maternal health? According to Dr Eleanor Bimla Schwarz of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Healthcare, it must be the latter. Breastfeeding is part of the whole biological cycle of reproduction. Becoming pregnant and not fulfilling the cycle of nature by breastfeeding can have some adverse effects on the female body.

“During pregnancy, the body stores up a bunch of nutrients with the plan that it’s going to release much of this in the form of breast milk, a very calorific food. If this doesn’t happen, what we see is that the woman’s body pays the price. Breast-feeding really helps bring you back to your baseline, and it helps women recover from the stress test that pregnancy entails.”

This seems logical enough. However, we should bear in mind that there are women who are incapable of breastfeeding, for one reason or another, even if they want to.

There?s powdered milk, condensed milk, skim milk. Actually there are so many different kinds of milk out there that one loses track of which to buy. But what about raw milk?

Well, the term speaks for itself ? milk taken directly from the cows without any processing whatsoever. The ?fresh? milk that the milkman delivers or that which we get at the supermarket is pasteurized ? heated up to 70?C to kill bacteria. However, pasteurization also reduces the nutrient content of milk by destroying or diminishing enzymes, vitamins, and milk proteins.

So actually drinking raw milk is going back to the basics ? and it?s catching on! One of its most popular advocates is Prince Charles himself.

So what makes raw milk so popular?
1. It?s healthier ? pasteurization kills bacteria (both harmful and beneficial) and destroys vitamins and other nutrients.
2. It tastes better, according to its advocates.
3. It contains the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest lactose ? therefore lactose intolerant individuals can drink.
4. It contains a lot of omega-3 fats.
5. It supposedly builds up the immune system, reduces allergies and asthma, and improves digestion.
6. It doesn?t have additional Vitamin D ? in many countries, including the US, milk is fortified with Vitamin D – which some people claim, can be toxic.

There are risks, of course. The UK Food Standards Agency warns the public that raw milk may contain pathogenic microbes ? precisely the main reason behind pasteurization.

In October 2007, a new state law (bill AB1735) in California is actually threatening the raw milk industry due to its very strict requirements on coliform bacterial content Raw milk farmers maintain that they only use the healthiest cows reared under strict standards using healthy, organic food. The cows are regularly checked for diseases. Milk from these cows therefore should theoretically be pathogen-free.

Sources:

1. Is raw milk safe? Belfast Telegraph, 06 November 2007

2. State’s tough new raw milk standards upset consumers, farmers, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 October 2007.