Folic Acid and B-12

The government’s program to fortify food with folic acid has been highly successful at reducing birth defects. But it might be obscuring another troublesome problem: vitamin B-12 deficiency. This condition, which is most likely to strike vegans and older people, can lead to brain damage if left untreated; symptoms range from a subtle loss of coordination to Alzheimer’s-like dementia. Vegans are susceptible because they don’t eat meat, fish, or dairy products; the elderly simply have trouble absorbing enough B-12. The problem is, taking in a lot of folic acid can eliminate the fatigue that often serves as an early warning sign of B-12 deficiency, says Ralph Green, a pathologist at the University of California at Davis. “Before fortification, the fatigue would cause people to seek medical attention,” he explains. Green advises annual blood test screening for vegans and people over 65—and taking B-12 supplements, too.