Low Folate May Be Linked to Allergies “But she warns that it is too soon to recommend that people take folic acid -- the synthetic form of folate used in supplements -- in an effort to reduce their risk for allergy and asthma or to treat symptoms. "That would be premature," she says. "Our findings are a clear indication that folic acid may indeed help regulate immune response to allergens, and may reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. But we still need to figure out the exact mechanism behind it, and to do so we need studies to follow people receiving treatment with folic acid." Few Are Folate Deficient Less than 5% of Americans have so little folate in their blood that they are considered deficient in the B vitamin, Matsui says. That's because since 1996, the U.S. government has required folic acid to be added to cereals, flours, pastas, rice, and other grain products in an effort to ensure that pregnant women get enough of the vitamin to protect against certain birth defects. Folate is also abundant in leafy green vegetables like spinach and turnip greens, citrus fruits, dried beans, liver, and many other foods.”

Shopping Tips for an Allergy-Free Home

The natural history of wheat allergy. (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2009)