Can Folic Acid Reduce Blood Sugar?

Why Folic Acid helps reduce Diabetes:

Supplying the body with folic acid nourishes the body with the sufficient amount of vitamin B9. This helps regulate the body’s immune system and improve natural killer cells’ function. Also, folic acid balances metabolic functions in the body which allows the decrease of any unnecessary accumulation of byproducts. This reduces insulin resistance and thus the chances of diabetes.

Furthermore, vitamin B9 reduces the levels of homocysteine in the plasma, hence limiting its negative effect on insulin receptors and decreasing insulin resistance. As a result, the risk of diabetes may decrease.

Additionally, folic acid supplementation could compensate for the reduced MTHFR enzyme activity decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species. This allows the reduction of insulin resistance and diminishes to some extent the risk of diabetes.

How Folic Acid works for Diabetes:

Folic acid plays an important role in the production and maturation of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) as well as cell division. This boosts the body’s immune system in order to fight viruses that increase the susceptibility of diabetes. Also, the body’s metabolic functions improve which diminishes insulin resistance. Thus, the risk of diabetes decreases.

Moreover, vitamin B9 plays an important role in breaking down the homocysteine amino acid in the plasma. By doing so, useful chemicals of this amino acid are properly utilized by the body, hence contributing to proper activation of insulin receptors. This allows the decrease of insulin resistance in the body thus diminishing chances of diabetes.

Also, folic acid compensates to a certain extent for the reduced MTHFR activity by supplying normal levels of active folate to the body. This decreases reactive oxygen species levels to a normal range and minimize insulin resistance. As a result, risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes decreases.

How to take Folic Acid for Diabetes:

Folic acid is mostly available in capsules or tablets. However, it can also be present in liquid form. It can be administered either intravenously through the vein, or through the muscle or skin based on what the doctor suggests.

The exact dosage of folic acid for diabetes is yet to be determined. However, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) recommends that men and women older than 19 years old should take an oral dose of at least 400mcg on a daily basis. In addition, the injectable dose of liquid folic acid is set at 5mg/ml daily.

Dosages should always be consulted by the doctor in order to revise each person’s personal case according to age and medical condition, if any. Pregnant diabetic women especially should consult their doctors for dosage.

Folic Acid for Diabetes: precautions

1.  People with certain medical conditions:

People with the following conditions should be careful and always check before taking folic acid:

• Allergies: It is possible to have a reaction to folic acid which might lead to skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing, redness. 
• Alcoholism: you need to avoid drinking alcohol as it could interfere with the absorption of folic acid in the body. Alcohol increases the rate of breakdown of the vitamin allowing it to be discharged faster from the body.
• Digestive disorders: people with digestive disorders such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, should pay attention when they consume folic acid because their conditions could interfere with the absorption of folic acid and decrease it.
• Genetic variants: people who acquire genetic mutations can impact folate transport into the cell and brain.

2.  Interaction with different Medications:

Folic acid may interact with different medications and exacerbate certain conditions. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before taking folic acid supplements if you take the following medication: 

• Anticonvulsants medication: such as cerebyx, phenytoin, and primidone- could decrease the concentration of the supplement in your blood.
• Barbiturates, methotrexate, and pyrimethamine medications: could decrease the drug’s effectiveness

Folic Acid for Diabetes: side effects

If you take folic acid, some side effects can take place such as nausea, loss of appetite, irritability, and bad breath.