Researchers have determined that salt enriched with folic acid, consumed with meals, may help reduce the risk of birth defects in the neural tube of a fetus.
- Vitamin B9 supports the formation of a fetus’ central nervous system by ensuring closure of the neural tube.
- Sufficient intake of vitamin D helps reduce the risk of anencephaly and spina bifida.
- Salt enriched with folic acid could help reduce the risk of birth defects.
During pregnancy, it is essential to have sufficient intake of vitamin B9, because it supports the formation of the central nervous system and helps prevent fetal neural tube defects. Vitamin B9 is actually a family of molecules with the same role. It includes: folates, which are present in food, and folic acid, which is the synthetic form added to certain products (food and food products).
Adding salt enriched with folic acid could promote the development of the baby’s nervous system
In a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Openinternational researchers have suggested that adding folic acid to dietary salt could prevent the risk of congenital malformations, which can have serious consequences on the development of the brain (anencephaly) and spinal cord (spina bifida).
For the purposes of this research, 83 non-pregnant women, aged 18 has 45 years old and from four villages in southern India were recruited. The scientists chose this country because the prevalence of neuronal tube defects is high in India. The participants then consumed salt enriched with folic acid during their meals over a period of four months.
Reduced risk of birth defects
During the clinical trial, the international team observed that mixing folic acid with iodized table salt sufficiently increased serum folate levels in women, reducing the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly. . The improvement was multiplied by 3.7 before and after a four-month period of using the fortified salt. “We have proven that folic acid can pass into the bloodstream through salt”said Jogi Pattisapu, neurosurgeon at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine (USA) and lead author of the study.
To limit the risks of neuronal tube malformations, French health authorities have recommended consuming foods rich in vitamin B9. Folic acid supplementation, on medical prescription, may be indicated by a doctor before the start of pregnancy and in the first trimester.
