why we take folic acid
Hello! I am taking a drug design class, and last week we learned
about folic acid synthesis and methotrexate, so for anyone
interested I will share this info (I need to learn it for my midterm
anyway!):
Folic acid is essential, but humans can't synthesize it (most
species do), so we must get it through our diets. We actually
synthesize it from a different compound we digest, catalyzed through
a series of enzymes. Some of these enzymes are folate reductases.
Methotrexate interferes with these enzymes so our bodies cannot form
very much folic acid from our diets. This is why we must take the
supplement, which is probably already in its reduced form and
therefore doesn't need the enzymes.
I found it interesting, anyway :o)
Wendy