How all men should eat their greens to make a healthier baby!
Taking folic acid has been shown to be protective against heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. It prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly in infants and is recommended for all pregnant or planning to be pregnant women. Now, the latest research has shown it is important for men too. Researchers are tentatively suggesting that possibly men planning to be fathers should take the vitamin as well as their wives or partners. While it has not been proven, further research is indicated as necessary.
But did you know that this vitamin is controversial and there has been evidence to suggest that it can actually cause miscarriage? According to the Lancet, ( Can Terathanasia Explain the Protective Effect of Folic-acid Supplementation on Birth Defects? Lancet 350(9076): 513-515 (16Aug 1997).
Doctors speculated whether folic acid could cause terathanasia (where the vitamin selects embryos which have abnormalities and causes the body to spontaneously abort). A trial in Hungary found that there was a significant reduction in children born with birth defects to those women taking folic acid, but also a 16% increase in the rate of spontaneous abortion. A 15% increase was also noted in the UK. If folic acid really does abort abnormal embryos, this would account for the reduction in birth defects.
Personally, I would still take the vitamin to prevent spina bifida and I'd encourage all men and women to eat as many greens as possible for a healthier baby!
