The problem: Although many foods are now fortified with folate,
certain medical conditions and medications may increase the need
for this B vitamin, the ODS says. (Folate is the form of this
vitamin found naturally in food; folic acid is the form found in
dietary supplements and fortified foods.) Medical conditions
that increase the need for folate include pregnancy and breast-
feeding; alcohol abuse; kidney dialysis; liver disease; and
anemia. Medications that interfere with folate include drugs to
treat epilepsy, diabetes, colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Barbiturates also may interfere with folate. The remedy: Dark
greens provide the highest amounts of folate. A cup of cooked
spinach provides 200 micrograms. Other foods rich in this B
vitamin include navy beans, oranges and fortified grains. Ask
your doctor about supplements. Why you need it: To help make
connective tissues, strengthen blood vessels and gums, and boost
infection-fighting cells. What you need: 75 mg per day; 85 mg a
day for pregnant women;