Folic acid: what the studies show, and the products
347 of the human studies we graded used folic acid, and 104 showed an improvement. Its products are graded on the studies of every form of folate. This page is educational, not medical advice.
What it does, by goalMembersThe top 5 of 20 goals
| Goal | What the studies show | Studies | Dose that worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved in studies 58 studies, 22 showed an improvement, 16 found none, 7 pooled analyses, 1 by drip, injection or inhaler | 58 | 400 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 47 studies, 15 showed an improvement, 10 found none, 2 pooled analyses | 47 | 400 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 26 studies, 15 showed an improvement, 4 found none | 26 | 400 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 13 studies, 4 showed an improvement, 3 found none, 2 pooled analyses | 13 | 5 mg | |
| Improved in studies 12 studies, 4 showed an improvement, 3 found none, 5 pooled analyses | 12 | 800 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 32 studies, 3 showed an improvement, 8 found none, 3 pooled analyses | 32 | – | |
| Improved in studies 9 studies, 3 showed an improvement, 4 found none, 2 pooled analyses | 9 | 500 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 5 studies, 3 showed an improvement, 1 found none | 5 | 200 mcg | |
| Improved in studies 7 studies, 2 showed an improvement, 2 found none, 2 pooled analyses | 7 | – | |
| Improved in studies 5 studies, 2 showed an improvement, 1 found none | 5 | – | |
| Improved in studies 1 study, it showed an improvement | 1 | 5 mg | |
| Too few studies 2 studies, no clear result yet | 2 | – | |
| No effect in studies 49 studies, 18 showed an improvement, 19 found none, 3 pooled analyses | 49 | 400 mcg | |
| No effect in studies 36 studies, 11 showed an improvement, 12 found none, 8 pooled analyses | 36 | 90 mcg | |
| No effect in studies 27 studies, 5 showed an improvement, 15 found none, 11 pooled analyses | 27 | – | |
| No effect in studies 15 studies, 2 showed an improvement, 9 found none, 1 pooled analysis | 15 | 5 mg | |
| No effect in studies 8 studies, 2 showed an improvement, 1 found none | 8 | 2.5 mg | |
| No effect in studies 28 studies, 1 showed an improvement, 12 found none, 3 pooled analyses | 28 | – | |
| No effect in studies 5 studies, 2 found none | 5 | – | |
| No effect in studies 3 studies, 2 found none | 3 | – |
Members see which goal each result is for, and the products for it. Start My 7-Day Free Trial →
Products – highest ranked firstMembersThe top 3 of 6
Dose and safetyThe dose that worked and the upper limit
The studies of folic acid taken by mouth that showed an improvement gave 90 mcg to 100 mg a day.
The upper limit for adults is 1,000 mcg of folate a day; above it, members see a note and are told they can take less.
Biohacker panelMembersWhat our 10 biohackers say about folic acid
Questions people askMembersAnswered from the figures on this page
What is folic acid good for?
Answer for members.
How much folic acid a day?
Answer for members.
Can I take folic acid with my meds?
Answer for members.
Members see the answers, checked against their own meds and goals. Start My 7-Day Free Trial →
Educational, not medical advice. Figures come from the human studies on PubMed we have graded; a study counts for a form when it names the form it used. Updated as new studies arrive. How we grade →