What are the symptoms of folate
deficiency?
How much folic acid do I need?
Can I take too much folic acid?
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that is found in supplements and added to fortified foods. Folate helps produce and maintain new cells. This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Both adults and children need folate to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia.
Vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin B6 are involved in homocysteine metabolism. A deficiency of B12, folate, or B6 may increase blood levels of homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine levels are linked to increased cardiovascular disease and risk of heart attack.
Folate deficient women who become pregnant are at greater risk of giving birth to low birth weight, premature, and/or infants with neural tube defects. In adults, a particular type of anemia can result from long-term folate deficiency.
Other signs of folate deficiency are often subtle. Digestive disorders such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss can occur, as can weakness, sore tongue, headaches, heart palpitations, irritability, forgetfulness, and behavioral disorders.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for folate is 400 micrograms per day for adolescents and adults. This is not very much, but many things can interfere with the absorption of folate including gastric bypass surgery, medications and alcohol intake.
There are no known adverse effects of excessive folic acid intake. As in the case of most water-soluble vitamins, excessive intake is usually excreted in the urine.
Folic acid intake from food and supplements should not exceed 1,000 micrograms daily in healthy individuals because large amounts of folic acid can trigger the damaging effects of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Folic acid can correct the anemia that is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. Unfortunately, folic acid will not correct the nerve damage also caused by B12 deficiency. Permanent nerve damage can occur if vitamin B12 deficiency is not treated.
FOLATE CONTENT OF FOOD
|
Description |
Measure |
%Daily Value |
|
Spinach |
½ cup |
25 |
|
Asparagus |
4 spears |
20 |
|
White rice |
½ cup |
15 |
|
Broccoli |
2 spears |
10 |
|
Avocado |
½ cup |
10 |
|
Orange juice |
¾ cup |
10 |
|
Egg |
1 |
6 |
|
Banana |
1 |
6 |
FOLATE – DRUG INTERACTIONS
|
Anti-convulsant medications (dilantin,phenytoin, primidone) |
Interferes with folate utilization |
|
Triamterene |
Same as above |
|
Metformin© - A drug used for control of diabetes. |
Same as above |
|
Alcohol |
Interferes with the absorption of folate |
