Related topics: •  Heart & Cardiovascular Disease

You need the Bs for basic maintenance -- to assure robust red blood cells and a sound nervous system. Lately they've been getting attention for other reasons as well. Folic acid, the most famous B, can prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida. The jury is still out on whether folic acid and vitamins B-6 and B-12 may also protect your heart by helping to rid the body of homocysteine, a by-product of animal protein that has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. A Harvard study among 80,000 women found that those who got plenty of the Bs suffered only about half as many heart attacks as those who got the least. However, more recent results of the Women's Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study (WAFACS), which involved 5,442 women, showed that women taking a combination of folic acid and vitamins B-6 and B-12 were just as likely to suffer major heart problems as those who did not.

The research team that sets government recommendations raised the daily requirement for folic acid to 400 micrograms for all adults (more for pregnant and breastfeeding women), up from the 200 that most people get from their diet. In order to protect against birth defects, women who are thinking of becoming pregnant need to be particularly careful to make sure they get at least 400. Adults ages 19 to 50 need 1.3 milligrams of B-6; after 50, women need 1.5 mg; men, 1.7 mg. And all adults need 2.4 micrograms of B-12. Pregnant and lactating women need more of both.

In January 1998 the federal government required that all enriched breads and cereals be fortified with at least 100 mcg of folic acid per serving. (But check labels; not all states require their breads and cereals to be enriched at all.) Folic acid shows up naturally as folate in foods such as orange juice (109 mcg per cup), spinach, liver, and lentils, but it's harder for the body to absorb than the synthetic kind in fortified foods and supplements. B-6 is widely available in meats, fruits, and vegetables. One banana will give you a third of what you need for the day. B-12 is found in meat, fish, and dairy products. Vegans can find it in brewer's yeast.

If you're even thinking of having a baby, the answer is yes. It's crucial for women to be getting at least 400 mcg of folic acid a day when they conceive, and unless you're downing a bowl of fully fortified cereal (such as Total) every day, you're probably not even close. (Pregnant women need 600 mcg of folic acid a day and nursing women need 500 mcg.) And older people should be particularly concerned about B-6 and B-12. About half of people over age 50 end up deficient in these two vitamins, in part because they tend to produce less stomach acid and therefore have trouble absorbing them from food. You can buy separate supplements, but the safest and easiest way to get everything you need is to take a multivitamin. Some older people may need to get injections of B12.

Not if you stick to a multivitamin, which contains safe levels of all three Bs. Too much folic acid can mask a B-12 deficiency, which can cause nerve damage.

Further Resources

Roberta Larson Duyuff, MS, RD, CFCS, The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food &Nutrition Guide. Chronimed Publishing, 1996, 1998.

References

First published September 3, 1998
Last updated December 14, 2007
Copyright © 1998 Consumer Health Interactive and OneBody, Inc.

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