Folic acid is widely distributed in foods. Liver, dark green leafy vegetables, fruit, and yeast are good sources. Some folic acid is synthesized by bacteria in the intestines. Cooking destroys some forms of folic acid and it is generally advised that raw fruits and vegetables are included into the diet. Strict vegetarians are prone to be deficient in vitamin B₁₂, because it is obtainable only from animal products but are likely to be well supplied with folic acid because it is abundant in vegetables and fruit. Although it may take years for the new vegan to develop B₁₂ deficiency, it may be masked by a high folic acid intake. The vegetarian's high intake of folic acid allows red blood cells to develop to normal size and maturity, but does not prevent the nerve damage caused by B₁₂ deficiency.

In Canada, the mean daily folic acid intake for ages 12 to 65 years is 205 micrograms/day for men and 149 micrograms/day for women. Pregnancy increases the risk and incidence of folic acid deficiency. Increased intake is recommended for pregnant women - 400 micrograms or 7-micrograms/kg body weight.

More applications of folic acid supplementation are appearing in the research literature.  People who have Alzheimer’s disease, for example, often have low levels of folic acid in their blood. Increasing folic acid intake by supplementation could be beneficial to the aging brain, protecting it against Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. In AD, plaques develop first in areas of the brain used for memory and other cognitive functions. Plaques include deposits of a protein, beta-amyloid that is associated with damage to nerve cells.  Increased folic acid in the diet might protect nerve cells.

According to a press report from the US National Institute of Aging:

“Mouse experiments suggest that folic acid could play an essential role in protecting the brain against the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, according to scientists at the National Institute on Aging. One animal study the underlying biochemical mechanisms were investigated: People with high blood levels of homocysteine have nearly twice the risk of developing the disease.  

“The NIA team counted neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for learning and memory that is destroyed as plaques accumulate during Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The investigators found a decreased number of neurons in the mice fed the folic acid deficient diet. The scientists also discovered that mice with low amounts of dietary folic acid had elevated levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the blood and brain. They suspect that increased levels of homocysteine in the brain caused damage to the DNA of nerve cells in the hippocampus. In transgenic mice fed an adequate amount of folate, nerve cells in this brain region were able to repair damage to their DNA. But in the transgenic mice fed a folate-deficient diet, nerve cells were unable to repair this DNA damage… These new findings establish a possible cause-effect relationship between elevated homocysteine levels and degeneration of nerve cells involved in learning and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease,” said Mark Mattson, Ph.D., chief of the NIA’s Laboratory of Neurosciences and the study’s principal investigator. “

Parkinson's disease occurs when certain nerve cells die or become impaired and can no longer produce dopamine. Without it, individuals can develop tremor or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability or impaired balance and coordination. Patients may also have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. Parkinson's is not usually inherited; the incidence of the disease increases with age, with an average onset at about 60 years. It afflicts about 50,000 Americans annually.”

In another NIA report, mouse experiments suggested that folic acid deficiency could increase the brain’s susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease. Investigators fed one group of mice a diet that included folate, while a second group was fed a diet lacking this vitamin. They then gave the mice MPTP, a chemical that can cause Parkinson-like symptoms. In the mice fed folate, MPTP caused only mild symptoms of disease. But mice fed the folate-deficient diet developed severe Parkinson’s symptoms. Mice with low amounts of dietary folic acid had elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood and brain. ..homocysteine in the brain  may damage the DNA of nerve cells in the substantia nigra,  a brain system that produces dopamine. Loss of dopamine activity causes the symptoms of PD. In mice fed adequate amounts of folate, dopamine-producing nerve cells were able to repair damaged DNA and counteract the adverse effects of homocysteine. However, similar nerve cells in folate-deficient mice could not repair extensive DNA damage. As a result, these cells died. People who have Parkinson’s disease often have low levels of folic acid in their blood… based on this study, Dr. Mattson speculates that consuming adequate amounts of folic acid—either in the diet or by supplementation—could help protect the aging brain against Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases”

DMX daily dose 25 Grams as 2 servings of approximately 12.5 grams  at intervals through the day. Sold in 500-Gram jars that supply 20 or more days of complete nutritional support.  Order Alpha DMX