Jamp-Folic Acid: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What is JAMP-Folic Acid used for?

JAMP-Folic Acid is a prescription medicine used:

• to prevent and treat folate deficiency. This is means that you have low levels of folic acid in your blood. This will be confirmed by a healthcare professional. Your folate deficiency may be because:

  • you have a poor diet,
  • your body does not use or absorb folate well from your food,
  • you are on kidney dialysis,
  • you have hemotyic anemia. This is a condition where red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can make them.
  • you are a pregnant woman, an infant or a child with megoblastic anemia. This is a condition where you have large, abnormal red blood cells,
  • you have liver problems,

  • you suffer from alcoholism and have cirrhosis of the liver (liver failure), or

  • you are taking medicines to treat seizures called anticonvulsants.

• to prevent birth defects in the babies of women who:

  • are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant,
  • have previously had a pregnancy where the baby had a neural tube defect,
  • have diabetes or conditions where their bodies do not absorb folic acid or
  • are taking anticonvulsant medicines or other medicines that affect how folic acid is used by cells of the body.

• to prevent side effects related to treatment with low doses of methotrexate. These side effects may include:

  • sores in your mouth and irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and
  • low levels of folate and high levels of homocysteine in the blood Even if you are taking JAMP-Folic Acid, you should still eat a balanced diet.

How does JAMP-Folic Acid work?

JAMP-Folic Acid is a vitamin. It is essential for the body to make new cells. It helps the body make DNA and RNA. JAMP-Folic Acid is needed for normal growth, development and function of the foetus, nervous system and bone marrow.

What are the ingredients in JAMP-Folic Acid?

Medicinal ingredients: folic acid

Non-medicinal ingredients: pregelatinized starch, microcrystalline cellulose, silicone dioxide, magnesium stearate, magnesium trisilicate.

JAMP-Folic Acid comes in the following dosage forms:

Tablets: 5 mg

Do not use JAMP-Folic Acid if:

• you are allergic to folic acid, to products that contain JAMP-Folic Acid or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine.
• you have problems with your small intestine, especially Crohn’s disease (type of inflammatory bowel disease) and sprue (malabsorption disease).

• you have a vitamin B₁₂ deficiency and are not receiving treatment for it. A vitamin B₁₂

  deficiency means that you have very low levels of vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) in your blood.

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take JAMP-Folic Acid. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• are taking large doses of vitamins. This is called megavitamin therapy.
• suffer with pernicious anemia. This is a condition where the body does not make enough red blood cells due to low levels of vitamin B₁₂. If you have this condition, your healthcare professional may recommend that you take vitamin B₁₂.
• have Food-Bound Cobalamin Deficiency. This is a condition where your body can’t obtain vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) from the food you eat.
• are undergoing dialysis for kidney disease.
• are taking any herbal supplements.
• are taking cholestyramine.
• have lactose intolerance. This is because this medicine contains lactose.

Other warnings you should know about:

Taking high doses (or large amounts) of JAMP-Folic Acid, may:

• hide a vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. A vitamin B₁₂ deficiency can cause anemia (low levels of red blood cells) and nerve damage. Taking large amounts of folate can fix the anemia, but not the nerve damage. This means the nerve damage may be permanent and could affect your brain, spinal cord, or other nerves.
• make the symptoms of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency worse.
• increase your risk for cancer of the colon or rectum. It may also increase the risk for other cancers in some people.

Pregnancy:

• Taking JAMP-Folic Acid during pregnancy is helpful. It can help prevent birth defects and neural tube defects in the baby.
• Low levels of folic acid in the blood during pregnancy can cause miscarriage. It may also affect how the baby grows in the womb.

• Taking some other medicines during pregnancy can cause birth defects or neural tube defects in the baby. This is because these medicine can:

  • affect how folic acid is broken down in the body, or
  • cause low levels of folic acid in the blood.

Blood tests:

Before you start taking JAMP-Folic Acid, your healthcare professional will do blood tests. These tests will measure the amount of folate and vitamin B₁₂ in your blood as well as the level red blood cells. These tests may be repeated during your treatment, especially if you are taking medicines that can interact with JAMP-Folic Acid.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with JAMP-Folic Acid:

• medicines used to treat epilepsy and seizures such as phenytoin, primidone, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, valproate / valproic acid.
• medicines used to treat depression called barbiturates.
• medicines used to treat tuberculosis including isoniazid and cycloserine.
• a medicine used to treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis called sulfasalazine.
• a medicine used to treat insomnia called glutethamide.

• medicines called folic acid antagonists. These include:

  • Methotrexate, which is used to treat Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer;
  • Pyrimethamine, which is used to treat malaria;
  • Triamterene. This is a diuretic (water pill), which is used to treat high blood pressure or swelling;
  • Trimethoprim, diamidine compounds, which are used to treat infections.
• medicines used to treat indigestion called antacids.
• medicines used to lower cholesterol including cholestyramine and colestipol.
• medicines used to treat ulcers called H₂ blockers.
• a medicine used as an anesthetic and to treat pain called nitrous oxide.
• birth control medicines that are taken by mouth.
• a medicine used to treat digestion problems called pancreatin.

Alcohol can lower the JAMP-Folic Acid levels in the body. Do not consume alcohol if you have low folic acid levels in your body.

How to take JAMP-Folic Acid:

Take JAMP-Folic Acid:

• exactly as directed by your healthcare professional. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are not sure.
• Take JAMP-Folic Acid tablets by mouth, once per day.
• Do not use if seal is broken.

Usual dose: Your healthcare professional will tell you how much JAMP-Folic Acid to take. This will depend on:

• the condition that you are being treated for,
• your age, and
• whether you are taking other medicines or vitamins.

Overdose:

The symptoms of overdose may include bitter taste, loss of appetite, nausea, gas, nightmares, agitation, and depression. If you are taking medicines to treat epilepsy or seizures (such as phenobarbital, phenytoin or primidone), you may have seizures more often. They may also be stronger.

If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much JAMP-Folic Acid, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

Missed Dose:

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the right time. Do NOT take more than one dose at time to make up for a forgotten dose.

What are possible side effects from using JAMP-Folic Acid?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking JAMP-Folic Acid. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

• loss of appetite
• nausea
• abdominal bloating
• gas
• bitter taste
• change in sleep
• trouble concentrating
• feeling irritable, excited, overactive, confused
• impaired judgment

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:

• Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health- products/medeffect-canada/adverse-reaction-reporting.html) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
• Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.

NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

Storage:

Store in well-closed container at room temperature (15°C-30°C).

Keep out of reach and sight of children. This product contains sufficient drug to seriously harm a child.

If you want more information about JAMP-Folic Acid:

• Talk to your healthcare professional
• Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug- products/drug-product-database.html). Find the Product Monograph on the manufacturer’s website (www.jamppharma.com), or by calling 1-866-399-9091.

JAMP Pharma Corporation

1310 rue Nobel

Boucherville, Quebec

J4B 5H3, Canada

Last Revised: December 6, 2022