Folic Acid for the Mind - Healthy For Life Coalition

Folic Acid — or the man-made version of folate, a naturally occurring B vitamin — is mostly known for its involvement in preventing the development of neural tube defects in children in the womb.

While that is folic acid’s most important job, it has a number of other benefits for people of all ages, including when it comes to mental health.

Multiple studies have shown that low blood folate levels are associated with poor brain function, an increased risk of dementia, and an increased risk of mental impairment in older adults.

Some studies have found that taking folic acid may help brain function in certain groups of people, but the overall research is mixed, and folic acid is not a proven treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

A 2019 study, involving 180 adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), showed that taking 400 mcg of folic acid per day for two years significantly improved measures of brain function, including verbal IQ and reduced blood levels of certain proteins involved in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, compared with a control group.

Another study from 2016 involved 121 people recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease who were being treated with the medication donepezil. Researchers found that those who took 1,250 mcg of folic acid per day* for six months had improved cognition and reduced markers of inflammation, compared with those who took donepezil alone.

Researchers have also studied folic acid for mental health conditions, including depression, with mixed results.

One study from 2017 found that folic acid and folate supplements may reduce depressive symptoms when used in conjunction with antidepressant medications.

A systematic review demonstrated that folic acid and methylfolate, when used alongside antidepressant medication, were associated with significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms, compared with antidepressant medication treatment alone.

There is also a review of seven studies that found that treatment with folic acid supplements alongside antipsychotic medication resulted in reduced negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia, compared with antipsychotic medication alone.

*1,250 mcg a day is above the 1,000 mcg upper limit for adults for folic acid from supplements and fortified foods. Before taking folic acid at that amount, you should always consult with your physician.

The bigger picture

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reviewed the research on folate and the brain. Most clinical trials so far have not shown that folic acid improves thinking skills or prevents dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, even though it lowers homocysteine, a substance linked to brain health. The clearest benefits have been seen in people who started with high homocysteine or low B-vitamin levels. In one trial in the Netherlands, 818 adults ages 50 to 70 with high homocysteine who took 800 mcg of folic acid a day for three years did better on tests of memory and overall thinking than those who took a placebo.

For depression, results have also been mixed. Some studies suggest that folate, used along with antidepressant medicine, may help some people, but the evidence is limited, and many of the doses studied are above the upper limit and should only be taken under a doctor’s care.

Getting enough folate matters for your whole body, including your brain, but folic acid is not a substitute for medical care. If you are worried about memory changes or are struggling with depression, talk with a health care provider. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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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