In 1999 he added the Luna bar line, aimed at women, with extra calcium, folic acid and iron.

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They also warned that folic acid interferes with some epilepsy drugs.

BBC: Caution urged over folic acid

Fumonisin also interferes with the cellular uptake of folic acid, a vitamin that is known to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in developing fetuses.

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Professors Brian Wharton and Ian Booth, from the Institutes of Child Health in London and Birmingham, warned that in people with vitamin B12 deficiency, consumption of folic acid may mask a condition called megaloblastic anaemia - which if not picked up can lead to degeneration of the spinal cord.

BBC: Caution urged over folic acid

Throughout pregnancy, women with diabetes need to take extra doses of folic acid, and have regular scans to make sure their babies are not growing too quickly, or developing heart and spine defects - some of the common risks in such cases.

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Stated differently, of every 10 children who would have become autistic without the folic acid supplements, 6 would be autistic with them.

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As I wrote last year, a very large study of 38, 772 older women, who were followed for 25 years, showed that the risk of death INCREASED with long-term use of multivitamins, vitamin B6, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper.

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Infection with German measles during pregnancy can lead to brain damage, while taking folic acid prior to conception can offer some protection against congenital neural problems.

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The predecessor of the FSA, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy, recommended the addition of folic acid in 2000, saying it would prevent more than 70 children a year being born with defects.

BBC: Caution urged over folic acid