Health IQ: Is there folic acid in your medicine cabinet?

Folic acid recall

Health Canada has recalled six brands of 1mg folic acid tablets due to concerns about them containing higher-than-safe dosages during pregnancy.

On March 12, the federal health department issued the recall, affecting these brands: Compliments, Equate, Health One, Nature’s Bounty, Pharmasave and Sisu. The supplements were supplied by the company Vita Health Products Inc. of Winnipeg.

“Affected lots exceed or may exceed the acceptable intake limit for N-nitroso-folic acid,” Health Canada says in the notice.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says that all people who could become pregnant need to take a daily multivitamin with 0.4mg of folic acid.

PHAC emphasizes not to increase folic acid intake beyond 1mg per day without consulting a health-care provider, as excessive folic acid intake can mask a B12 deficiency.

Folic acid is crucial for the normal development of a baby’s spine, brain, and skull, according to PHAC.

Read more about the recall here.

Tweens and Sephora

The ‘Sephora Kids’ trend, influenced by social media, has sparked dermatologists’ concerns over potential harm to young users’ skin.

The fad has gained popularity on apps like TikTok, featuring young girls and boys eagerly flocking to Sephora shelves and sharing intricately detailed skincare routine videos.

While some applaud the interest in skincare, dermatologists caution against harmful ingredients which can disrupt the skin barrier, leading to irritation and acne.

“The problem is when they use a whole bunch of different products that are not designed for young skin, and especially when they’re combining them because they’re doing 10 steps,” said Dr. Renita Ahluwalia, a lead dermatologist at the Canadian Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Centre in Toronto.

“The risk of irritation and breakdown of the skin barrier and causing dermatitis and acne, which already young people are dealing with as their hormones shift and change. So there are a lot of areas where they can run into trouble.”

These products are not only pricey, she said, but children and young teenagers should not be using anti-aging products, especially ones containing retinol, exfoliating acids and fragrances.

Read more about the trend and what dermatologists recommend young teenagers use for their skin routine.

— THE TOPIC —

The cicadas are coming

— WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING —

This spring and early summer, billions of cicadas are poised to emerge from beneath the ground across the eastern United States, in a rare double brood event.

Just south of Canada, both 13-year and 17-year cicadas will surface simultaneously, a sight unseen since 1803 — during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Notably, this event won’t recur until the year 2,245.

“This is a big, big event,” said David Beresford, an entomology professor at Trent University in Oshawa, Ont. “Just like the solar eclipse, the cicada emergence is probably a once- or twice-in-a-lifetime event that we’ll be able to take advantage of, and I am quite excited.”

The spectacle is set to unfold across the eastern U.S., with its northernmost boundaries extending into Illinois. Beresford hopes it may appear in southern Ontario too, but admitted to speculating and remaining hopeful to witness this phenomenon as an insect enthusiast.

According to Gene Kritsky, a professor of emeritus of biology at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio, the cicada emergence is driven by evolutionary reasons. By emerging in mass numbers, it ensures survival and mass production, he explained.

He said the cicadas are projected to begin emerging first in the southern regions of the U.S., likely around mid-April. As spring progresses northward, their emergence will extend into May and June, reaching areas closer to Canada.

You can also download the Cicada Safari app that allows you to track the broods and report cicada sightings from your location.