Final answer:
The recommended dose of folic acid is 300-400 µg for low-risk patients, sourced from diet and intestinal flora. High-risk individuals, especially women who might become pregnant, need at least 400 µg/day from supplements or fortified foods to prevent birth defects. High-risk patients with poor diets or specific health conditions also benefit from taking supplements to meet their folate needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recommended dose of folic acid varies based on whether a patient is considered low-risk or high-risk. For low-risk individuals, the adult human liver can store about 5-20 mg of folic acid, and the daily requirement is approximately 300-400 µg. This amount can typically be obtained through a normal diet and from the intestinal flora. However, for high-risk patients, such as women who are pregnant or might become pregnant, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum intake of 400 µg/day of folate from supplements or fortified foods. This increased intake helps prevent serious birth defects, including malformations of the spinal cord, which folate has been shown to reduce by up to 40%
High-risk patients such as those on certain medications like warfarin, individuals with poor diets, or with specific health conditions may benefit from a higher daily intake of folic acid through supplements as suggested by the Food and Nutrition Board and the US Preventive Task Force. Such supplements ensure that the necessary levels of folate are met, which may otherwise be difficult through diet alone.