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Signs & Symptoms of Folic Acid Allergy

Folic acid is a B-complex vitamin usually taken orally. For most individuals, this vitamin is essential in their everyday diet. Doctors advise women to take this when they are pregnant or planning to get pregnant so that they have sufficient stores of it for both themselves and their baby. However, not everyone can take folic acid; in some individuals an allergic reaction may occur. There can also be side effects when taken with certain types of medication. In addition, there can be adverse effects with this vitamin when taken excessively.

  1. Drug Complications

    • There are certain drugs that you should not take along with folic acid. According to content on eMEDTV, if you are taking the following drugs then you should not take folic acid.

      Folic acid may decrease the effectiveness of methotrexate, which is a medicine for cancer. Methotrexate also goes by the brand names Rheumatrex and Trexall. Folic acid does not seem to affect methotrexate for other uses, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

      High amounts of folic acid in the body can decrease phenytoin effectiveness, which can potentially affect the control of seizures. Phenytoin also goes by the brand names Dilantin, Phenytek, Fosphenytoin and Cerebyx.

      Folic acid also may decrease the effectiveness of pyrimethamine, which is used for treating certain parasitic infections. However, folic acid does not seem to decrease the effectiveness of pyrimethamine when treating malaria. Pyrimethamine also goes by the brand name Daraprim.

    Allergic Reactions

    • Though uncommon, there are individuals unfortunate enough to have severe allergic reactions to folic acid. According to Drugs.Com, some allergic reactions include inflamed red skin, rash, itching, a sense of unease, chest constriction, respiratory problems and a swollen face, including the lips and the mouth.

      In some individuals, folic acid can cause behavioral problems such as irritability, excitability, or hyperactivity, seizures and psychotic behavior.

    Dosages and Allergic Reactions to Overdose

    • The Office of Dietary Supplements, of the National Institutes of Health, recommends a dosage of 150 micrograms a day of folic acid for babies 1 to 3 years, for children it is 200, for adolescents it is 300 and for teenagers and adults it is 400 micrograms a day. Pregnant women should take 600 a day, and nursing women should take 500 micrograms a day. Dosages can exceed these amounts but not beyond 1000 micrograms a day or one milligram. When these amounts are exceeded, either from foods fortified with folic acid or supplements, a vitamin B12 deficiency can occur and that has its own host of symptoms; it can cause anemia, abnormalities in the nervous system and high levels of homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine, which is a type of amino acid, can cause stroke, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease.

    Doses

    • Drugs.Com reports that extreme reactions from to acid seem to show up only after the intake of as much as 15 milligrams on a daily basis for weeks straight. These reactions include abnormal sleep patterns, nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, gas, bloating, zinc deficiency and a bitter taste in the mouth.

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