B-vitamin supplement

Folic Acid: What to Know Before You Take It

Also sold as FA-8

What Folic Acid Is Used For

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Folic acid is effective in the treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to a deficiency of folic acid (as may be seen in tropical or nontropical sprue) and in anemias of nutritional origin, pregnancy, infancy, or childhood.

Warnings

WARNING Administration of folic acid alone is improper therapy for pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias in which vitamin B 12 is deficient.

Contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS Folic acid is contraindicated in patients who have shown previous intolerance to the drug.

Folic Acid Drug Interactions (3)

Folic Acid + Methotrexate

If coadministration cannot be avoided, monitor closely for methotrexate adverse reactions when coadministered with: Oral antibiotics (including neomycin) Antifolate drugs (e.g., dapsone, pemetrexed, pyrimethamine and sulfonamides) Oral or intravenous penicillin or sulfonamide antibiotics Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs Hepatotoxic products Highly protein-bound drugs (e.g., oral anticoagulants, phenytoin, salicylates, sulfonamides, sulfonylureas, and tetracyclines) Prot…

Major interaction

Folic Acid + Phenytoin

Table 1: Drugs That Affect Phenytoin Concentrations Interacting Agent Examples Drugs that may increase phenytoin serum levels Antiepileptic drugs Ethosuximide, felbamate, oxcarbazepine, methsuximide, topiramate Azoles Fluconazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, voriconazole Antineoplastic agents Capecitabine, fluorouracil Antidepressants Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline Gastric acid reducing agents H 2 antagonists (cimetidine), omeprazole Sulfonamides Sulfamethizole, sulfaphenazol…

Moderate interaction

Folic Acid + Valproic Acid

Evidence suggests that folic acid supplementation prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy decreases the risk for congenital neural tube defects in the general population [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.1 )] .

Minor interaction

Check Folic Acid against your full medication list in our free Interaction Checker

Most-Reported Side Effects

Based on 246,828 reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports do not prove the drug caused the effect.

drug ineffective25,052fatigue23,757pain23,464arthralgia19,801off label use17,739rheumatoid arthritis17,720nausea15,945diarrhoea14,504headache14,471rash13,829dyspnoea13,508abdominal discomfort11,840

Explore full Folic Acid safety data in our free FDA Safety Explorer

FDA Recalls (2)

Class IITerminatedJan 26, 2022

CGMP Deviations: Products were exposed to temperatures outside of the products labeled storage conditions.

Recalling firm: CARDINAL HEALTHCARE

Class IITerminatedMar 15, 2021

CGMP Deviations: Intermittent exposure to temperature excursion during storage.

Recalling firm: Cardinal Health Inc.

This information is educational — not medical advice.

This page is provided for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed clinician and should not be used to start, stop, or change any medication. It may be incomplete or out of date, and individual circumstances vary. Always talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about your specific medications and health conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.

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