The Government's Chief Medical Officers advise that all women planning a pregnancy should take a 400 microgram (400µg) folic acid supplement daily from the start of trying to conceive until the 12th week of pregnancy. The Benefits of Folic Acid: Neutral Tube defects Heart Disease Lactation Skin Digestive system Anaemia Mood A member of the B-Complex family, also known as pteroyl glutamic acid. Folic acid was first discovered in yeast from where it was dubbed the "anti-anaemia factor." It is unstable when in contact with heat, air, water & alkali & therefore easily destroyed during cooking.