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LETTERS: Matthew J Taylor and John Geddes Folic acid as ultimate in disease prevention: Folate also improves mental health BMJ 2004; 328: 768-c-769-c [Full text]

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Dose of Folic acid

Dr. Vinita K Morye   (5 August 2004)

Back to Brewer's Yeast ?

Dr. Herbert H. Nehrlich   (7 August 2004)

Dose of Folic acid 5 August 2004
Dr. Vinita K Morye, Research Mumbai , India Send response to journal: Re: Dose of Folic acid	Dear Sir, We are doing research in the role of folic acid in neuropsychiatric conditions. After going through various published literature, we have found that there are many studies which have shown a good effect of folic acid in depression either as an add on therapy or together with an SSRI. But what is the exact dose of folic acid which would prove to show efficacy in psychiatry patients? The dosages in various clinical trials range from 1 mg to 50 mg. Somewhere it has been mentioned that folinic acid would be a better form for neuropsychiatry conditions than plain folic acid. If if have to choose a form of folic acid based on present clinical evidence,?what is the exact dose of folic acid that has to be administered to these patients, in which form and for how long? With regards Competing interests: None declared
Back to Brewer's Yeast ? 7 August 2004
Dr. Herbert H. Nehrlich, Private Practice Bribie Island, Australia 4507 Send response to journal: Re: Back to Brewer's Yeast ?	Kurt Oster (THe XO Factor) in his papers on the xanthine oxidase theory of heart disease, so often belittled and so frequently ridiculed, describes the use of folic acid in doses of 50 - 80 mg. While this seems a high dose (considering that some countries limit the availability of folic acid tablets to a max. potency of 400mcg), he reports excellent results with atherosclerosis. Orthomolecular Medicine practitioners routinely use from between 5 and 30 mg of folate per day for various conditions and a maintenance dose for people in apparent good health 5 mg is very common. The effect of folate on the mind, on behaviour and ability to function well is observable at this dose and I would call this a prudent recommendation. In all but the most exotic situations we should be able to ignore the B 12 link as a B 12 deficiency today is clinically easy to recognise. I have noticed an interesting phenomenon concerning prices of Folic acid tablets. I buy 5 mg tablets in a bottle of 100 for Aussie dollars $ 1.95 My brother in Germany pays 21 Euro for the privilege and my friend in the USA needs a prescription and then pays 15 US $. Something I missed? There are rumours about folic acid's unique ability to help in the prevention of malignancies, but there are others that accuse Folic acid of accelerating the growth of existing tumours . Competing interests: None declared