Knowing a few important facts about folic acid could help keep you from developing heart disease, depression and dementia and even keep your unborn baby from developing birth defects. Yes, there are many critical benefits of folic acid.

First of all, before we go into the folic acid facts, let's find out what folic acid is. Folic acid is one of your B vitamins - Vitamin B9 to be exact. Folic Acid is a water soluble vitamin as opposed to a fat soluble vitamin. That means that folic acid is not stored by your body.

Folic acid is oftentimes used interchangeably with the word folate (remember this when looking at some of the studies below). Folate is the form of this vitamin found in foods such as leafy green vegetables. Folate is also found in citrus fruits and legumes such as beans.

Folic Acid is the more stable form of Vitamin B9 than is folate. Folic acid is not found naturally in foods and is the form of the vitamin found in supplements. In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated the enrichment of grain products such as bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal with folic acid to help reduce birth defects.

Folic Acid Facts and Cardiovascular Disease: The Benefits of Folic Acid in Guarding Against This Number One Killer

Some of the folic acid facts surrounding cardiovascular diseases may surprise you. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines cardiovascular diseases as including heart disease, stroke and diseases of the blood vessels in your extremities.

The CDC reports that heart disease and stroke account for the number one and number three cause of death in America. The CDC estimates that every year, 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease. They also estimate that as many as 61 million (or one quarter) of all Americans have some sort of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of early, permanent disability among adults of working age. Stroke alone is responsible for the disability of over 1 million Americans.

So, tell me some folic acid facts that will help me reduce my chances of cardiovascular disease

Much research has shown that the benefits of folic acid along with Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) can significantly reduce your body's level of homocysteine.

Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by your body, usually as a result of your eating meat. Normally homocysteine is converted to methionine which is required by your body for the building of proteins and other vital chemical processes. However, your body needs the benefits of folic acid along with Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 to accomplish this.

One of your important folic acid facts is that without an adequate supply of folic acid, homocysteine levels build up in your body. And this is when the problems begin to occur. Elevated homocysteine levels have been directly linked to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease.

It seems that higher levels of homocysteine in our bodies is responsible for an increase in the narrowing and hardening of our arteries. This of course results in a decrease in and perhaps eventually the lack of blood flow, and therefore oxygen to our vital organs. Lack of blood flow to parts of your heart result in heart attack and lack of blood flow to parts of your brain result in strokes.

A study appearing in the ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE titled "Hyperhomocysteinemia and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease" tells us that "hyperhomocysteinemia has recently been identified as an important risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease." Further "treatment is most conveniently administered as a folic acid supplement (400-1000