Having Too Little Folate (Vitamin B9) in Your Blood Causes Folate Deficiency Anaemia

Folic Acid

Folic acid is also known as folate in its natural form. It is a type of B-Vitamin (Vitamin B-9) and is essential for our body’s ability to mend the day-to-day wear and tear.

Health Benefits:

1)Anaemia:

Having too little folate (vitamin B9) in your blood causes folate deficiency anaemia.

Folate is necessary for your body to make new red blood cells. Your body needs red blood cells to carry oxygen to your organs. Not having enough red blood cells causes a condition called anaemia, which can make you feel weak and tired.

Symptoms of folic acid deficiency include:

Fatigue, mouth sores, grey hair, swollen tongue, poor growth (also among the chief symptoms of malnutrition)

Once anaemia occurs, you might experience the following:

Fatigue, dizziness, feeling cold, irritability, headache, difficulty breathing, pale skin, diarrhoea, weight loss, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating

2)Pregnancy:

Your baby may be at higher risk of developing serious birth defects like spina bifida if you have folic acid deficiency anaemia during pregnancy. Spina bifida causes the baby’s spinal column to be malformed.

Pregnancy causes folic acid deficiency for several reasons. Your body is slower to absorb folic acid during pregnancy, and the foetus (unborn baby) consumes your body’s folic acid as it grows. Morning sickness that results in vomiting can cause you to lose folic acid.

3)Fertility:

Folate is necessary forfertilityin both men and women. It contributes tospermatogenesis (production of sperms in men). Therefore, it is necessary to receive sufficient amounts through the diet to avoidsubfertility.

4)Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke:

Some studies have shown that taking folic acid over years reduced the risk of Heart disease by 4% and of Stroke by 10%

5)Cancer:

Some studies have shown that long term insufficient intake of folic acid (below the recommended level of 400 micrograms per day) may increase the risk ofcolorectal, breast, ovarian, pancreas, brain, lung,cervical, andprostatecancers.

6)Psychological:

Some evidence links a shortage of folate withdepression.

Good sources of folic acid

Folateis found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include:

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, okra, liver (butavoid this during pregnancy), spinach, asparagus, peas, chickpeas, fortified breakfast cereals, bananas, beets, corn, carrots, yeast extract etc.

How much folic aciddo I need?

Adults need 200mcg of folic acid a day. It can't be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.

Most people should be able to get the amount they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

But if you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended that you take 400mcg folic acid supplement dailyfrom the time you stop using contraception until you're 12 weeks pregnant. This is to help prevent birth defects, such as spina bifida, in your baby.

Make sure you speak to your doctor if you have a family history of conditions like spina bifida (known as neural tube defects)as you may need to take a higher dose of 5mg of folic acid each day until you're 12 weeks pregnant.

What happens if I take too much folic acid?

Taking doses of folic acid higher than 1mg cancover up thesymptoms ofvitamin B12 deficiency, which can eventually damage the nervous system if it's not spotted and treated.

Large amounts of folic acid may cause your urine to turn a bright-yellowcolour, and can prevent anticonvulsant drugs from working properly.

This is particularly a concern for older people because it becomes more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as you get older.

Whatdoes theDepartment of Health advise?

The Department of Health recommends thatfolic acid supplements are taken by women who are pregnant or trying for a baby.

Women who aren'tpregnant orplanning for ababy should be able to get all the folate they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.Some women have an increased risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, and are advised to take a higher dose of 5mg of folic acid each day until they're 12 weeks pregnant

If you're taking folic acid supplements, it's important not to take too much,as this could be harmful.Taking 1mg or less a day of folic acid supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.

This is important and unlikely to cause harm, as it'staken on a short-term basis, but speak to your doctor first.

Further information can be obtained from the following websites:

Patient.info, NHS Choices, Department of Health website, or if in doubt please contact your GP