Folic acid is often used in pregnancy. Why Canada just recalled multiple brands
Global News
The recalled products contain 1mg of folic acid, which is above the recommended dosage of 0.4mg for pregnant women.
Health Canada has recalled six brands of 1mg folic acid tablets for potentially containing a higher dosage than is safely recommended during pregnancy.
The brands involved in the recall are Compliments, Equate, Health One, Nature’s Bounty, Pharmasave and Sisu. The supplements were sold by the company Vita Health Products Inc. of Winnipeg, Man.
“Affected lots exceed or may exceed the acceptable intake limit for N-nitroso-folic acid,” Health Canada says in the notice.
The recall notice does not state when the affected products were sold.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says that all people who could become pregnant need to take a multivitamin with 0.4mg of folic acid in it every day.
The agency notes you should not increase your dose of folic acid beyond 1 mg per day without a health care provider’s advice. Too much folic acid can mask a B12 deficiency.
According to PHAC, folic acid is vital to the normal growth of a baby’s spine, brain and skull.
Taking the vitamin daily during pregnancy, especially in the early stages, can reduce the risk of a baby being born with a neural tube defect. The defect can lead to stillbirth or lifelong disability, the agency says.
