February 13/Washington/FDA -- Folic acid is already recommended to prevent birth defects, but the supplement could lower risk of autism as well.
In the U.S., grain and cereal makers have been supplementing breads and other products with folic acid since 1998, after studies showed that the B vitamin could lower the risk of neural tube defects in newborns. The latest study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, provides another reason that moms-to-be should consume the recommended daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid: it may lower risk of autism in their newborns by up to 40%.