Are there any health issues with folic acid being introduced into bread

asks johnjo:�
A. The Government wants white flour to be fortified with folic acid. This is because it is known that women drastically reduce their chances having a baby with spina bifida if they take 400mcg folic acid daily before conception and 12 weeks into the pregnancy.

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Q. How much folic acid will be put into bread
A. The amount approved by the Government watchdog would mean that three or four slices of bread would carry the daily recommended dose.

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Q. So it's a good thing, then
A. Yes - if you plan to have a baby, the benefits are clear. However, child health experts from the Institute of Child Health (ICH) aren't happy about this - they're worried about possible harmful effects.

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Q. Why
A. They claim that supplementing children's diets with folic acid could mask other health problems.

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Q. What sort of health problems
A. Taking folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency (also known as megaloblastic anaemia, which can lead to serious complications if not treated). Folic acid supplementation could also interfere with some epileptic or anti-folate drugs.

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Q. How much folic acid should children have
A. The recommended daily allowance for children is 100mcg.

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Q. Does any other country add folic acid to bread
A. Yes, it's been happening in the US since 1998: all products made with enriched flours - such as breakfast cereals, bread and pasta - have to have added folic acid. It's claimed that spina bifida and other neural tube defects have fallen by 19% since this was implemented.

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Q. Are there any other benefits to having extra folic acid in your diet
A. Yes. There is some evidence that women who take iron and folic acid supplements may reduce the risk of their baby developing leukaemia, according to a report published in The Lancet last week.

It can also protect against heart disease. US scientists found that folic acid is the best way to reduce levels of a harmful amino acid called homocysteine which is believed to clog up the arteries and cause blood clots.

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Q. What happens next
A. The scientists from the ICH would like to see full safety trials to investigate the positive and negative aspects of folic acid supplementation.

Meanwhile, because 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, all women of childbearing age would benefit from taking a folic acid supplement - but ensure it's a quality product: a study found that one in three off-the-shelf supplements doesn't supply enough folic acid to protect an unborn baby against spina bifida.

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By Sheena Miller