AsWeb MDexplains, both folate and folic acid are B vitamins.

Folic acid is actually the synthetic form of folate, which occurs naturally in food.

Meanwhile, folic acid is added to foods, including cereals, flour, breads, and pasta.

Folic acid supplements

It’s also used for preventing and treating low levels of folate in the blood.

Folic acid is often taken duringpregnancyto prevent miscarriage and birth defects including spina bifida.

However, folic acid is also used to treat depression, stroke, and memory loss in elderly people.

Woman taking folic acid supplements

This is what taking folic acid will do to your body.

Folic acid can even thicken hair, as a deficiency is also linked to thinning hair.

He generally cautions against taking supplementsif you’re not deficient.

Folic acid supplements concept

They can also reducedepressive symptomsand even the risk factors of heart disease.

Always talk to your doctor before taking supplements, in case you’re actually missing something else instead.