Adequate folic acid in the diet -- which already is known to be effective in preventing certain birth defects, including spina bifida -- may help lower the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), especially in younger women, according to recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This conclusion was reached by John P. Forman, M.D., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues, who analyzed data from two studies: 93,803 younger women aged 27 to 44 years in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-1999) and 62,260 older women aged 43 to 70 years in the Nurses’ Health Study I (1990-1998).
