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# Supplemental folic acid taken in early pregnancy linked to gestational diabetes mellitus
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/folic_acid_gestational_diabetes_mellitus_0629161049/
- Published: 2016-06-29T11:25:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:39:06.000Z
- Description: An editor's note on a Diabetes Care report that folic acid supplements taken in early pregnancy raise the risk of gestational diabetes. It adds that synthetic folic acid has also been tied to breast cancer risk, while folate occurring naturally in vegetables shows no such link.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

**Editor's comment:**  A new [report ](http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/39/3/e36.short?ref=foodconsumer.org)published on Diabetic Care suggests that supplemental forlic acid or folate used in early pregnancy increases risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Folic acid supplements are often used by pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Because of this benefit, it is even mandated that folic acid be added to flours as a nutrient fortifier. The report again reminds people of the potential risk of supplemental folic acid.

Folic acid found in dietary supplements and as a nutrient fortifier in foods are synthetic chemicals. In addition to its association with increased risk for gestational diabetes mellitus, synthetic folic acid supplementation has been associated with increased risk for [breast cancer](https://www.foodconsumer.org/folate%5Fbreast%5Fcancer0124140354/). Caution should be exercised when folic acid supplements are considered as a source of the nutrient.

Folic acid is not the only thing that may promote gestational diabetes mellitus. Some foods and food components like [fast food](https://www.foodconsumer.org/fast%5Ffood%5Flinked%5Fto%5Fgestational%5Fdiabetes%5F0913141015/), [red meat](https://www.foodconsumer.org/red%5Fmeat%5Fmay%5Fboost%5Fgestational%5Fdiabetes%5Fmellitus%5Frisk%5F0204161158/) and supplemental [iron ](https://www.foodconsumer.org/gestational%5Fdiabetes%5Fmellitus%5Frisk%5Firon%5F0528160301/) ingested at high levels have been associated with increased risk for gestational diabetes mellitus. The likely problem with red meat is its heme iron. Iron, particularly heme iron found in red meat at high concentrations can boost peroxidation of lipid, which can lead to a series of health conditions including diabetes mellitus.

It should be noted that naturally occuring folic acid found in vegetables is not linked to any adverse effect or health condition. Foods that naturally contain high levels of folic acid include lentils, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, asparagus, spinach, navy beans, black beans, kidney beans, turnip greens, and broccoli.

[Folic Acid Supplement Intake in Early Pregnancy Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Evidence From a Prospective Cohort Study](http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/39/3/e36.short?ref=foodconsumer.org)