Folic acid is water-soluble and belongs to the B vitamins. Folate is the umbrella term for many different compounds. These show the vitamin effect as a natural form in food.
The term folic acid refers to the synthetic term of the vitamin. These are contained, for example, in vitamin preparations or other food supplements. Thereby folic acid belongs to the B vitamins and is also indicated as vitamin B9.
Many people wonder whether folic acid can be overdosed. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends a daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid for an adult. People who consume larger amounts of alcohol have a higher need for folic acid.