Are HIGH folate levels something to be concerned about in pregnancy?
I am hoping to be pregnant this year and with that in mind I had my blood checked. All my levels are great, iron, calcium etc. One thing that stood out was that I had folate levels double that of the average population. Could this be a problem? I know folate is great for baby healthy and growth, but what about high folate?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
You're right that getting enough folate is important for proper development of the fetus. Having a high folate level should not be a problem. There have been some suggestions in the literature that folate supplementation might lead to higher risk of some cancers but this has not been proven and the most recent research has not shown any link.
For those who may need to get more folate in their diet, here are two guides from the USDA:
Folate Content of Selected Foods, Alphabetical List
Folate Content of Selected Foods, By Amount of Folate
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet