In 1998, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) National Academy of Sciences recommended that all women capable of becoming pregnant consume 400 micrograms per day of folic acid from supplements and/or fortified foods, in addition to consuming naturally occurring food folate from a varied diet.
Dietary folate equivalent (DFE) is a term used to take into account the difference in absorption between food folate and synthetic (man-made) folic acid. (Remember that the synthetic form (folic acid) is more easily absorbed into the blood). DFEs are used to calculate TOTAL folate intake from a varied diet that includes synthetic folic acid from fortified foods and supplements and naturally occurring food folate.
It is important to remember that the IOM recommendation is 400 micrograms of folic acid from a supplement and/or fortified foods, in addition to consumption of food folate from a varied diet. So, DFEs are not used to determine if a person meets the IOM recommendation for reducing risk for NTDs.
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Folic Acid Every Day
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Last updated 15 Dec 2000
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