On Thu, 14 May 1998, Don Wiss wrote:

> >I have read that it is hard to get
> >adequate folate even from "fresh" foods because they are not
> >usually all that fresh, and cooking them reduces the content even
> >further.  This is why it is recommended that pregnant women take
> >folate supplements now, no matter what they are eating.
>
> No. The recommendation is made as low folic acid during pregnancy was
found
> to be a cause of spina bifida. Low folic acid is a common deficiency of
> undiagnosed celiac disease. With an incidence in the US of celiac disease
> of 1:250 or greater, and 95% undiagnosed, these cases alone can account
for
> all cases of spina bifida. Do remember that the medical community likes to
> prescribe treatments, and not look for the underlying cause.

You're missing the point, Don.  Low folic acid during pregnancy
is suspected of playing a role in a number of neurological
problems, not just spina bifida. The real question is why is it
low?  Undiagnosed celiac disease may be a part of the answer, but
it's probably not the whole answer.  It turns out that low folic
acid is quite a common condition for all Americans, not just
pregnant women.  It's just that the danger is more immediate for
pregnant women.  The reason why folic acid levels tend to be low
is believed to be a result of our heavy use of processed foods,
but the people at the Life Extension Foundation have argued that
even in allegedly fresh foods folate tends to be low unless they
are consumed very quickly after they are picked.  The celiac
problem may be just the tip of the iceberg concerning the causes
and effects of low folate levels.

The way I see it, the medical community likes to prescribe
*drugs*, not vitamins.

Todd Moody
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