Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that comes after the vitamin B complex and is one of the compounds that have antioxidant activity and protective against some diseases caused by harmful oxidation. Recently, through studies and scientific research conducted on folic acid, the extreme importance of this vitamin has emerged after cases of deformity occurred in children due to a lack of nutrition from sources containing folic acid. The main contributor to babies' neural tube abnormalities (NTD) is inadequate folic acid (Vitamin M) intake during pregnancy. In order to lower incidences of NTDs in neonates, the United States authorized the fortification of processed grains and grain products with folic acid (in a synthetic, easily accessible form) from January 1, 2018. In terms of the nutritional, protective, and antioxidant functions of folic acid, this report aims to examine the literature on the effects of required folic acid supplementation on predicted and unanticipated health benefits. There is also a discussion of potential adverse effects. We looked for reports in Pubmed, Google Scholar, Embase, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases. The evaluation, summary, and context of around 60 studies published between January 2018 and December 2023 were included. While a decrease in the prevalence of NTDs was anticipated, anemia, serum homocysteine, and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Vitamin M, Folic acid, and Antioxidant activity.