Folic Acid and High Blood Pressure in Women: What the Research Shows

Researchers continue to study whether folic acid — and its natural form folate — has benefits beyond pregnancy. One study, by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, looked at blood pressure.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that women in their childbearing years who got more folate, including from folic acid supplements, were less likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure). This was an observational study, which means it found a link but cannot prove that folate caused the lower risk.

In the study, women whose total folate intake was 1,000 mcg a day or more had a 46% lower risk of developing high blood pressure than women who got much less. That is more than most people should take on their own: for adults, 1,000 mcg a day is the upper limit for folic acid from supplements and fortified foods, unless a doctor recommends more.

It is strongly advised that women of childbearing age take a folic acid supplement (400 micrograms per day) most importantly because it greatly reduces the risk of neural tube defects in a developing baby.

All women are advised to ask their doctor before starting a daily regimen of folic acid, and certainly before increasing their daily intake above 400 mcg.

What the larger body of research shows

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reviewed many studies on folic acid and heart health. Overall, folic acid supplements have not been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks or heart disease in general. However, they do appear to lower the risk of stroke, especially in people who start out with low folate levels.

For example, a large trial in China, where foods are not fortified with folic acid, included more than 20,000 adults with high blood pressure. Those who took 800 mcg of folic acid along with their blood pressure medicine had a 21% lower risk of stroke than those who took the blood pressure medicine alone. Because grain products in the U.S. are fortified with folic acid, the benefit for Americans may be smaller.

If you have high blood pressure, keep working with your health care provider on proven treatments, and ask before adding or increasing any supplement.

Updated October 2026. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your health care provider.

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