Folic acid is needed by pregnant women in order for the babies inside their womb to develop well. This substance helps prevent birth defects in babies like the dreaded spina bifida. Folic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in green leafy vegetables and yeast. Pregnant women need more folic acid in their system since there are two of them that consume. This is the reason why in some countries folic acid is being mixed with bread, breakfast cereal, and other foods. However, a recent finding revealed that this additional folic acid may be doing more harm than good.

Too much folic acid intake can result to prostate cancer and adenorectal cancer. A team in Dublin City University led by Mary Rose Sweeney tested 20 mothers and 20 babies. They found out that a large percentage of folic acid is not metabolized, which can make people more prone to the previously-mentioned cancers.

Countries that are thinking of making folic acid fortification mandatory should take this study’s findings into serious consideration. Mandatory folic fortification could be doing more harm than good to your countrymen.