The effect of folic acid intake on the frequency of fragile X positive cells and some behavioural characteristics were evaluated in 5 boys and 4 adult males with the fragile X syndrome. The expression of fragile X was nullified in 6 and decreased in 3 of the 9 patients. Behavioural and motor ability were considered to have improved in 4 of the 5 boys but not in the 4 adults with fragile X syndrome.