Based on 1 source · Recall-safety score from FDA recall history — this product's own recalls and its manufacturer's record. Not an efficacy or quality rating. methodology →
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Folic Acid
- Form
- Solution, Tablet
- Strength
- Folic Acid 1MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Generic
- May treat
- megaloblastic anemia, folic acid deficiency
- Manufacturer
- Rising
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$0.58 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- ANDA211064
What is Folic Acid?
From the FDA label:Folic acid, N-p-[[2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-pteridinyl] methyl]-amino] benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid, is a B complex vitamin containing a pteridine moiety linked by a methylene bridge to para-aminobenzoic acid, which is joined by a peptide linkage to glutamic acid. Conjugates of folic acid are present in a wide variety of foods, particularly liver, kidneys, yeast, and leafy green vegetables. Commercially available folic acid is prepared synthetically. Folic acid occurs as a yellow or yellowish-orange crystalline powder and is very slightly soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. Folic acid is readily soluble in dilute solutions of alkali hydroxides and carbonates, and solutions of the drug may be prepared with the aid of sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, thereby forming the soluble sodium salt of folic acid (sodium folate). Aqueous solutions of folic acid are heat sensitive and rapidly decompose in the presence of light and/or riboflavin; solutions should be stored in a cool place protected from light. The structural formula of folic acid is as follows: Each tablet, for oral administration, contains 1 mg folic acid. Folic Acid Tablets, USP 1 mg contain the following inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and stearic acid
How to use
Folic Acid is sold in more than one form (Solution and Tablet), and each is dosed differently. The instructions below come from the FDA label for application ANDA211064 — follow the label that came with the product you were actually prescribed.
Oral administration is preferred. Although most patients with malabsorption cannot absorb food folates, they are able to absorb folic acid given orally. Parenteral administration is not advocated but may be necessary in some individuals (e.g., patients receiving parenteral or enteral alimentation). Doses greater than 0.1 mg should not be used unless anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency has been ruled out or is being adequately treated with a cobalamin. Daily doses greater than 1 mg do not enhance the hematologic effect, and most of the excess is excreted unchanged in the urine. The usual therapeutic dosage in adults and children (regardless of age) is up to 1 mg daily. Resistant cases may require larger doses. When clinical symptoms have subsided and the blood picture has become normal, a daily maintenance level should be used, i.e., 0.1 mg for infants and up to 0.3 mg for children under 4 years of age, 0.4 mg for adults and children 4 or more years of age, and 0.8 mg for pregnant and lactating women, but never less than 0.1 mg/day. Patients should be kept under close supervision and adjustment of the maintenance level made if relapse appears imminent. In the presence of alcoholism, hemolytic anemia, anticonvulsant therapy, or chronic infection, the maintenance level may need to be increased.
Side effects
Allergic sensitization has been reported following both oral and parenteral administration of folic acid. Folic acid is relatively nontoxic in man. Rare instances of allergic responses to folic acid preparations have been reported and have included erythema, skin rash, itching, general malaise, and respiratory difficulty due to bronchospasm. One patient experienced symptoms suggesting anaphylaxis following injection of the drug. Gastrointestinal side effects, including anorexia, nausea, abdominal distention, flatulence, and a bitter or bad taste, have been reported in patients receiving 15 mg folic acid daily for 1 month. Other side effects reported in patients receiving 15 mg daily include altered sleep patterns, difficulty in concentrating, irritability, overactivity, excitement, mental depression, confusion, and impaired judgment. Decreased vitamin B12 serum levels may occur in patients receiving prolonged folic acid therapy. In an uncontrolled study, orally administered folic acid was reported to increase the incidence of seizures in some epileptic patients receiving phenobarbital, primidone, or diphenylhydantoin. Another investigator reported decreased diphenylhydantoin serum levels in folate-deficient patients receiving diphenylhydantoin who were treated with 5 mg or 15 mg of folic acid daily.
Warnings
Important safety information
Administration of folic acid alone is improper therapy for pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias in which vitamin B12 is deficient.
Who should not take Folic Acid
Folic acid is contraindicated in patients who have shown previous intolerance to the drug.
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
Except during pregnancy and lactation, folic acid should not be given in therapeutic doses greater than 0.4 mg daily until pernicious anemia has been ruled out. Patients with pernicious anemia receiving more than 0.4 mg of folic acid daily who are inadequately treated with vitamin B12 may show reversion of the hematologic parameters to normal, but neurologic manifestations due to vitamin B12 deficiency will progress. Doses of folic acid exceeding the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) should not be included in multivitamin preparations; if therapeutic amounts are necessary, folic acid should be given separately.
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
There is evidence that the anticonvulsant action of phenytoin is antagonized by folic acid. A patient whose epilepsy is completely controlled by phenytoin may require increased doses to prevent convulsions if folic acid is given. Folate deficiency may result from increased loss of folate, as in renal dialysis and/or interference with metabolism (e.g., folic acid antagonists such as methotrexate); the administration of anticonvulsants, such as diphenylhydantoin, primidone, and barbiturates; alcohol consumption and, especially, alcoholic cirrhosis; and the administration of pyrimethamine and nitrofurantoin. False low serum and red cell folate levels may occur if the patient has been taking antibiotics, such as tetracycline, which suppress the growth of Lactobacillus casei.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
Dosage forms
Solution and Tablet
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does Folic Acid treat?
- Folic Acid (Folic Acid) may be used to treat megaloblastic anemia, folic acid deficiency, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How is Folic Acid rated?
- pharmaranks gives Folic Acid a composite score of 3.6 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.
- How much does Folic Acid cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.58 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Folic Acid?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Folic Acid. To pay less, Folic Acid is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Folic Acid?
- Folic Acid is marketed by Rising. You can see Rising's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Folic Acid a brand-name or generic drug?
- Folic Acid is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Folic Acid. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
- Is Folic Acid available over the counter?
- No. Folic Acid is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Folic Acid come in?
- Folic Acid is currently marketed as solution and tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- Is Folic Acid FDA-registered?
- Folic Acid is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA211064. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Has Folic Acid been recalled by the FDA?
- Folic Acid has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.
- Is Folic Acid safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Folic Acid a recall-safety score of 72/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Folic Acid?
- Folic Acid's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Allergic sensitization has been reported following both oral and parenteral administration of folic acid. Folic acid is relatively nontoxic in man. Rare instances of allergic responses to folic acid preparations have been reported and have included erythema, skin rash, itching, general malaise,… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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folic acid
72/100