Over-the-counter medication · B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement

folic acid

Also sold as Folvite. Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia.

Data updated 2026-05-15

241,433
FDA reportsHeavily reported
5
InteractionsFew interactions
6
Recall records

What the data shows

folic acid (Folvite) is an over-the-counter B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement, in the top 5% of tracked drugs by FAERS report volume (241,433 FDA reports), with 5 documented drug interactions.

Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.

folic acid (Folvite) is an over-the-counter B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement. Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia.

Integra FTM is a medicine that helps treat iron and folate deficiencies. It is also used during pregnancy to prevent and treat iron deficiency and provide folic acid.

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Generic Price

$0.02/unit

Generic Available

Yes (9 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

NADAC price trail: FOLIC ACID 1 MG TABLET

Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (3 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -23% vs prior release.

2.2¢2.4¢2.6¢2.8¢ 2024-022024-062024-12 2.08¢
Effective NADAC / unit vs prior NDCs
February 21, 2024 $0.0277/EA - 2
June 19, 2024 $0.0270/EA -2.7% 2
December 18, 2024 $0.0208/EA -23% 24
Compare with Another Drug → Full Side Effects Report →

What it does

Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia.

Common side effects

Upset stomach, Nausea, Diarrhea

Key warnings

Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in young children.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from folic acid's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Integra FTM contains two types of iron that your body can use. These iron types help to increase the amount of iron in your blood. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps your body make new blood cells.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 241,433 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for folic acid, by number of reports

reports

What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) As of 2025

Reports over time

Adverse-event reports filed for folic acid each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

05,00010,00015,00020,000 200320062009201220152018202120242025 13,346

Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.

Where folic acid sits

folic acid has more FDA adverse-event reports than 96% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.

fewest reports most reports

Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is folic acid; the line is the median (50th percentile).

FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis

Detailed analysis of 241,433 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.

Total Reports

241,433

Reports Mentioning Death

22,144

9.2% of reports — not proof of cause

Hospitalization Reports

87,188

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Gender Distribution

Female 152,545 (68%)
Male 70,365 (32%)

Age Distribution

0–17 5,548
18–44 31,217
45–64 61,818
65–74 35,410
75+ 25,879

Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)

# Reaction Reports
2 FATIGUE 23,332
3 PAIN 23,054
4 ARTHRALGIA 19,495
5 RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 17,528
7 NAUSEA 15,633
8 HEADACHE 14,211
9 DIARRHOEA 14,142
10 RASH 13,595
11 DYSPNOEA 13,157
12 ALOPECIA 11,667
13 ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT 11,665
14 JOINT SWELLING 11,529
15 CONDITION AGGRAVATED 11,126
16 VOMITING 10,810
17 PNEUMONIA 10,795

Reactions in Death Reports

DEATH 5,981
PNEUMONIA 2,632
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 2,540
FATIGUE 2,504
DIARRHOEA 2,332
VOMITING 2,210
DYSPNOEA 2,194
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 2,150
RASH 2,134
HYPERTENSION 2,133

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

FATIGUE 7,987
PNEUMONIA 7,501
PAIN 7,490
DYSPNOEA 7,236
ARTHRALGIA 6,934
DIARRHOEA 6,899
NAUSEA 6,613
PYREXIA 6,481
VOMITING 6,128
FALL 5,610

Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation

Serious Warnings

Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in young children. Keep this medicine away from children. If someone overdoses, call a doctor or poison control center right away. Folic acid alone is not the right treatment for pernicious anemia or other megaloblastic anemias where Vitamin B12 is lacking.

Known Drug Interactions

With oral dapsone treatment, folic acid antagonists such as pyrimethamine have been noted to possibly increase the likelihood of hematologic reactions.

Mechanism: Using these drugs together can increase the chance of having blood problems because they both affect how your body handles folic acid.

In RA, concomitant medications besides MTX were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), folic acid, corticosteroids and/or narcotics. In PsA clinical trials, concomitant medications included MTX in approximately half of the patients as well as NSAIDs, folic acid and corticosteroids.

Mechanism: There is no known negative interaction between these two drugs, and they are frequently used together to manage rheumatoid arthritis.

Folic Acid Coadministration of methotrexate with folic acid or its derivatives decreases the clinical effectiveness of methotrexate in patients with neoplastic diseases.

Mechanism: Folic acid can interfere with how methotrexate works to treat cancer, making the medication less effective.

Table 1: Drugs That Affect Phenytoin Concentrations Interacting Agent Examples Drugs that may increase phenytoin serum levels Antiepileptic drugs Ethosuximide, felbamate, oxcarbazepine, methsuximide, topiramate Azoles Fluconazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, voriconazole Antineoplastic agents Capecitabine, fluorouracil Antidepressants Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline Gastric acid reducing agents H 2 antagonists (cimetidine), omeprazole Sulfonamides Sulfamethizole, sulfaphenazole, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim Other Acute alcohol intake, amiodarone,...

Mechanism: Taking these two together can cause the levels of both drugs in your blood to drop, making them both less effective.

• Additionally, concurrent use of folic acid has been associated with enhanced phenytoin metabolism, lowering the level of the AED in the blood and allowing breakthrough seizures to occur. • Cholestyramine: Reduces folic acid absorption and reduces serum folate levels. • Colestipol: Reduces folic acid absorption and reduces serum folate levels.

Mechanism: Taking a folic acid supplement along with a multivitamin that already contains it increases the total amount of this vitamin in your body.

This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

What should I do if I accidentally take too much Integra FTM?
Call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Can I take Integra FTM with food?
Taking Integra FTM after meals may help with stomach upset.
Will Integra FTM change the color of my stool?
Yes, iron may turn stools black, but this is a harmless effect.
Can children take Integra FTM?
Do not give Integra FTM to children under 12 years old.
Is it okay to take other supplements while taking Integra FTM?
Talk to your doctor before taking other supplements with Integra FTM.
What if I have a history of stomach ulcers?
Use Integra FTM with care if you have a peptic ulcer, regional enteritis, or ulcerative colitis.
How often should I have blood tests while taking this medicine?
Have blood tests at the usual intervals to make sure the therapy is working.
What does 'Rx only' mean?
Rx only means this medicine requires a prescription from a doctor.
Can folic acid hide the symptoms of pernicious anemia?
Yes, folic acid may hide the signs and symptoms of pernicious anemia.
When is the best time to take Integra FTM?
Integra FTM is best absorbed when taken at bedtime.
What are the common side effects of folic acid?
The registry lists Upset stomach, Nausea, Diarrhea, Constipation, Heartburn among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for folic acid. The compiled record contains 241,433 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does folic acid interact with other medications?
The registry has 5 documented interaction rows for folic acid. Notable source-record pairings include dapsone topical, infliximab, methotrexate. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is folic acid?
folic acid belongs to the B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement drug class. It is available over the counter (OTC). Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for folic acid?
The FDA label for folic acid contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.
Has folic acid been recalled?
There are 6 recalls associated with folic acid products. Presence of a Foreign Substance; black particles observed in liquid. Check the recalls section below for full details and affected products.

Active Recalls

Class II May 1, 2026

Presence of a Foreign Substance; black particles observed in liquid

Safecor Health, LLC

Class II March 7, 2022

Lack of Assurance of Sterility

TMC Acquisition LLC dba Tailor Made Compounding

Class II November 17, 2016

Lack of Assurance of Sterility

Tri-Coast Pharmacy

Class II November 17, 2016

Lack of Assurance of Sterility

Tri-Coast Pharmacy

Class II November 17, 2016

Lack of Assurance of Sterility

Tri-Coast Pharmacy

Class II November 17, 2016

Lack of Assurance of Sterility

Tri-Coast Pharmacy

Other drugs grouped near folic acid - same-class peers and common alternatives.

Compare folic acid vs ascorbic acid side-by-side →

Compare beyond drug class

Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share

Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for folic acid: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.

Medication Guides

What the FDA Data Shows for folic acid

The FDA label for folic acid (sold under brand names such as Folvite) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement class. Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia. Official labeling lists 7 commonly reported side effects, including Upset stomach, Nausea, Diarrhea.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 241,433 voluntary reports. The database also lists 5 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.02.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 6 recall records on file), and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: November 8, 2022

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page