Folic Acid Supplements may Benefit Patients with IBD

Folic Acid in IBD:

Folic acid plays an important role in IBD patients. In a metanalysis, Yun et al. demonstrated that level of folate in IBD patients was significantly lower when compared to that of healthy groups. Studies have shown that the supplementation of folic acid may decrease the occurrence of side effects, mainly gastrointestinal disease, inflammation of the mucosa, and myelotoxicity. Dr Alicja Ewa Ratajczak and team noted, "In the case of IBD, folic acid deficiency is one of the most common causal agents of non-iron deficiency anaemia (NIDA), which may decrease the quality of life in patients. Simultaneously, patients suffering from IBD are at a higher risk of folic deficiency (e.g., with inflammation in the small intestine or following resection) and require adequate supervision."

Folic acid in Colorectal Cancer:

Patients with long-term ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease present an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) associated with inflammation and dysplasia. Additionally, CRC related to IBD is associated with chromosomal instability, microsatellite instability, and hypermethylation. In the experimental study by Biasco et al., a three-month-long supplementation of folic acid resulted in decreased cell proliferation. A meta-analysis indicated that the supplementation of folic acid plays a protective role against the development of colorectal cancer. However, Dr Alicja Ewa Ratajczak et al, noted that there is no large, randomized study on the role of folic acid in the prevention of CRC in patients suffering from IBD.