Vitamin B9, also known as folate, may slow the process of age-related hearing loss, according to an article in the Sacramento Bee – and that’s not all the vitamin has to offer.

Healthcare professionals recommend folate supplementation for a variety of reasons, including the production of healthy new cells in the body, the prevention of certain cancers and the healthy development of babies in utero.

Studies have shown that adults over the age of 50 are at a 40 percent higher risk of hearing loss when they test positive for folate deficiency.

Consuming 400 micrograms of the vitamin each day may help mitigate hearing loss an maintain overall health.

The Bee added that folate helps the body break down the amino acid homocysteine, which is often present in the blood in high concentrations among those at the greatest risk of heart disease.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that pregnant women be especially vigilant about consuming 400 micrograms of the nutrient daily, since vitamin B9 helps a growing fetus produce healthy new cells and reduces the severity of pregnancy-related anemia.

Besides fortified cereals, which tend to contain a full day’s worth of folate per serving, good sources of the vitamin include beef liver, spinach, asparagus and other green vegetables, the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements reports.