Posted 5/15/2015 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Some people who experience hair loss from mesalamines also take biotin along with the folic acid. I don't know if it works or what is the maximum safe amount of folic acid. But if you are going to take folic acid you may want to ask your doctor about taking folate or the bioactive 5-mthf instead.
Folic acid is an artificial form of folate developed in 1943 and was introduced as a mandatory food fortification in 1998 because it helps prevent birth defects. Ordinary folic acid must first be converted to bioactive 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) in order to be clinically effective.
These steps require several enzymes, adequate liver and gastrointestinal function, and sufficient supplies of niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), riboflavin (B2), vitamin C, and zinc. Many IBDers, especially Cronnies, are deficient in some of these nutrients, especially zinc. And those with the MTHFR gene mutation cannot metabolize folic acid efficiently, so they have to take the methylated variations.
Otherwise their folic acid can remain unmetabolized. Supplementing with folate is preferable to supplementing with folic acid.