Folate and folic acid: current knowledge and gaps

Folati su esencijalni vitamini potrebni za sintezu DNK-a i metabolizam homocisteina. Folna kiselina je sintetski pripravak koji se dodaje u hranu i dodacima hrane, te ima veću stabilnost i bioraspoloživost nego folati koji se prirodno nalaze u namirnicama. Uzimanje folne kiseline tijekom perikoncepcijskog razdoblja ima značajnu ulogu u prevenciji defekta neuralne cijevi, no još je nejasno može li unos multivitamina s folnom kiselinom spriječiti ili smanjiti rizik za nastanak drugih prirođenih anomalija, kao i različitih kroničnih bolesti, te koje doze su istovremeno sigurne i učinkovite, osobito u prisutnosti faktora koji mogu interferirati s metabolizmom folata.Folate is an essential vitamin that is required for DNA synthesis and homocysteine metabolism. Folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin that is used in dietary supplements and fortified foods. It has higher stability and bioavailability than dietary folates. The periconceptional use of folic acid has been recommended in the prevention of neural tube defect. However, it is unclear whether folic acid supplementation reduces the risk for other congenital anomalies and some chronic diseases, and what dose is safe and most effective for prevention, particulary in the presence of factors that interfere with folate metabolism