Diet

What happens if I overdose on folic acid?

introduction

In general, most people suffer from an undersupply of folic acid, which is why a folic acid substitute through food is recommended for them - especially for pregnant women.
However, if these dietary supplements are taken in too high a dose, an overdose is also possible.

Excess folic acid can be excreted very easily in the urine because it is water-soluble.
With a normal diet, a folic acid overdose with health consequences is hardly possible.

These symptoms indicate that you have overdosed with folic acid

A short-term overdose of folic acid usually does not cause symptoms.
Health problems can only arise after a long-term folic acid overdose. But even these are rare.

You may experience allergic reactions such as skin reactions and itching. Skin redness, also called erythema, can develop.
In exceptional cases, a strong allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock can occur.
Anaphylactic shock is a whole body reaction resulting in circulatory failure.

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Folic acid can also affect the gastrointestinal tract. Nausea and digestive disorders are possible.
In addition, the overdose can lead to sleep disorders, agitation, nightmares and depression.
In addition, bronchial spasms can occur.

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Another problem with a folic acid overdose is that it hides a possible vitamin B12 deficiency. A vitamin B12 deficiency, like a folic acid deficiency, leads to anemia and is often noticed as a result. However, if folic acid is also taken in high doses, the anemia is partially compensated. However, the other symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency still exist.
A typical symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency is nerve damage.

Scientists estimate that a folic acid overdose affects cell growth in the body. The risk of precancerous lesions may be increased.
A study has shown that the risk of breast cancer may be increased. It is believed that the risk of colon cancer could also increase. However, it is not yet possible to make reliable statements on this. This needs to be researched further in the future.

Hair loss

Folic acid is found in many remedies that are supposed to work against hair loss. This is because folic acid deficiency promotes hair loss.
In addition, there are other nutrients that are supposed to help against hair loss.

If folic acid is taken for hair loss, care should be taken not to overdose on folic acid.
However, hair loss is not a symptom that occurs in the event of an overdose; on the contrary, it is a reason to substitute folic acid at all.

Are you suffering from hair loss?

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This is how much folic acid you have to consume for an overdose

A daily dose of 1000 µg should not be exceeded. This amount can hardly be absorbed through diet.
In children, a dose between 200 and 800 µg should not be exceeded, depending on their age.

However, it is extremely important not to fall below the minimum daily dose for folic acid.
This is between 300 and 400 µg. Sometimes e.g. however, there is also a slightly higher need for pregnant women.
Folic acid deficiency can also lead to serious consequences, such as to anemia.

Read more about the consequences of insufficient folic acid substitution at: Folic Acid Deficiency Anemia

What are the long-term consequences of a folic acid overdose?

The ingestion of natural folic acid cannot pose a serious risk, as it is difficult to absorb folic acid in very large quantities through food.
The synthetically produced folic acid, which is available as a dietary supplement, can be absorbed much better by the body.
Here the risk of damage to health has not yet been finally clarified.

It is believed that a folic acid overdose affects cell division over a long period of time.
Some scientists suspect that a folic acid overdose may increase the risk of developing cancer over many years.
One study has shown that there may be an increased risk of breast cancer. It is also estimated that years of overdose also increase the risk of colon cancer. In addition, subsequent damage such as nerve damage can persist due to a vitamin B12 deficiency hidden due to the folic acid overdose.

Is that reversible?

As a rule, the symptoms regress after the folic acid intake has normalized.
How it behaves with the possibly increased risk of cancer is unclear, since the research is not yet sufficient to be able to make reliable statements.

If a vitamin B12 deficiency has been masked by the folic acid overdose and this has led to nerve damage, this can be partially reversible.
Especially if they have been around for a long time, they may continue to exist even after the deficiency has been successfully compensated for.