Taking Folic Acid

So my girlfriend who is a paramedic was telling me that women our age (19+) need to be taking certain vitamins.  One of the supplements she suggested was folic acid (among vitamin's B, D and Calcium, too). 

So of course since she's so fit and healthy, I figured she was right!  So i went and bought all these vitamins, and I come to work today to hear some other girl saying that Folic Acid (even if you're on Birth Control) makes you more prone to getting pregnant...is that TRUE?!  Cuz if it is...I will not be taking it! 

LOL! No it's not true...  What they say to women of child-bearing age is that they should have plenty of folic acid in the diet (or take a supplement) prior to getting pregnant as it helps prevent spina bifida in babies.  

You don't need to take any supplements if your diet is varied, reasonably well balanced and you're getting five-a-day fruit and vegetables.  Most end up just going down the toilet.

Thanks GI Jane :) 

I dont usually get 5 servings of fruits and veggies in, so i guess I can take a multi-vitamin then?  lol - I just bought all those dang vitamins!  Now what?! 

*sigh* 

I take folic acid, vitamin c & acai .. multivitamins make me too hungry & the others help boost metabolism. I just dont always eat right, due to money being tight.

I'd say 'try harder' to eat fruit and vegetables.  If you go with seasonal veg and local fruit rather than out-of-season and imported products they're going to be a lot cheaper than buying vitamins. Even frozen vegetables are fine.   Plus there's a lot more going on in a carrot than just 'vitamin A'.... there are hundreds of other active compounds (which don't appear in the vitamin tablet) and you're also getting a lot of useful fibre to keep your digestion healthy.

GI Jane is right, experts want every woman of child bearing age taking additional Folic Acid just in case they get pregnant.

However, you should discuss what vitamins you take and in what doses with your doctor. You want your birth control to work. Vitamins, in normal multi-vitamin dosing, do not affect birth control.

However herbal supplements and vitamins in large doses (mega dose Vitamin C is suspect) may lessen the effectiveness of your birth control pill.

And yet again GI Jane is right, as a young woman you would be best getting everything you can from real food. Our bodies are better designed to absorb vitamins from real foods.

Good luck!