Most often, folic acid deficiency is due to three reasons:
- Insufficient intake from food. It should be borne in mind that up to 90% of the folic acid contained in raw food is destroyed during heat treatment, but nevertheless, it is not difficult to ensure a sufficient amount of folic acid from food. In addition to the leaves of garden greens, it is also found in liver, meat, cheese, caviar, egg yolk, legumes, tomatoes, sunflower seeds,
- Increased need. The need for this substance increases when rapid growth and tissue renewal prevails: during a period of rapid growth in young children and adolescents, with severe oncological diseases, anemia, skin diseases, etc. The need for folic acid in pregnant women increases with the growth of the fetus. During breastfeeding, the need for this vitamin is also increased, as well as the need for other vitamins.
- Violation of the absorption of folic acid in the intestine. Diseases of the stomach and small intestine can lead to deficiency due to insufficient absorption, while with a normal composition of the intestinal microflora, the body can synthesize folic acid on its own.
Folic acid contained in medicinal preparations is absorbed much better than its natural counterpart.
Mechanism of action of folic acid
As you know, in order for any living cell to enter into the process of division, its genetic material, enclosed in a DNA helix, must double. It is in the process of DNA doubling that folic acid takes an active part. In addition, it is involved in the synthesis of RNA (ribonucleic acid), amino acids, and contributes to better absorption of iron.
Accordingly, the deficiency of this factor is especially dangerous for actively proliferating cells. Folic acid is necessary for the growth and development of all organs and tissues, the normal development of the embryo, and hematopoiesis processes. In the early stages of pregnancy, this is especially important, because already in the 2nd week from conception in the embryo, you can determine the part from which the brain begins to develop. It is during this period, despite the fact that the woman is still unaware of her pregnancy, even a short-term deficiency of folic acid is fraught with the development of defects in the development of the nervous system in the fetus.
In addition to participating in the creation of fetal cells, this vitamin is used to replace the cells of the body of a pregnant woman, as human cells are constantly updated. Folic acid is involved in the formation of all blood cells. In addition, it provides a good mood, participating in the exchange of biologically active substances serotonin and adrenaline, which largely affect the state of the nervous system, stimulates appetite at the sight of food, participating in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach,
During pregnancy, folic acid deficiency leads to the formation of neural tube defects: the absence of the brain, hydrocephalus (hydrocephalus), the formation of cerebral hernias, spina bifida, in addition, the formation of malformations of the cardiovascular system and splitting of the lip and palate (cleft lip and cleft palate). With a lack of this vitamin, the formation of the placenta is disrupted, the likelihood of miscarriage, partial placental abruption, stillbirth, and fetal growth retardation increases. Studies have shown that about 75% of these defects can be prevented if a woman starts taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy.
It is important to continue the use of folic acid during breastfeeding, when the need for it even exceeds the need for a pregnant woman. Folic acid deficiency has a significant impact on the formation of postpartum depression, apathy, weakness, and causes a decrease in the amount of milk. In addition, a deficiency of this vitamin in a nursing mother leads to its low content in breast milk and, as a result, to its deficiency in a child. In children with folic acid deficiency, in addition to anemia, there is a lag in weight, a delay in psychomotor development, a decrease in immunity, and disruption of the intestines.
Dosage of folic acid during pregnancy
The minimum daily requirement for folic acid in the normal state is 50 mcg, but with increasing needs, for example during pregnancy, it can increase several times. In Russia, it is believed that the need for folic acid in pregnant women without signs of deficiency of this vitamin is 400 mcg per day. In nursing mothers, this need is 600 mcg per day. Considering that folic acid deficiency is especially dangerous in the first weeks of pregnancy, this vitamin is recommended to be taken in the process of preparing for pregnancy (at least three months), as well as during the entire period of bearing a baby. The standard folic acid tablet contains 1 mg, the folic acid content of multivitamins ranges from 300 micrograms to 1 mg. Thus, taking one folic acid tablet per day or a multivitamin containing this vitamin, among others, covers the daily requirement for it by 100-200%. Taking such doses of folic acid is safe.
In women with a therapeutic purpose, the dose can be increased to 5 mg per day. The course of treatment is 20-30 days. High doses of folic acid in the period of preparation for pregnancy and in the first third of it are also prescribed to women who have already had cases of the birth of children with folate-dependent malformations.
Safety of Folic Acid
Folic acid is not toxic to humans. There are studies on the long-term use of 15 mg of folic acid per day (exceeding the daily dosage by 40 times), which did not reveal any toxic effects of this drug. However, long-term use (over 3 months) of high doses of folic acid can help reduce blood levels of vitamin B 12, which can lead to anemia. Large doses of folic acid sometimes cause gastrointestinal disorders, increased nervous excitability, and functional changes in the kidneys.
Contraindications to the use of folic acid are cases of an individual allergic reaction to the drug.
It is important to take folic acid regularly. However, given that any folic acid preparation covers the daily requirement for it, you should not worry if you missed the next dose. Just take the drug when you remember it.
Many medications can affect the absorption, utilization, and storage of folic acid in the body. Folic acid is best taken together with vitamins B 12 and C. Additional intake of bifidobacteria increases the synthesis of folic acid in the large intestine.
On the contrary, when taking alcohol, antacids (drugs that neutralize hydrochloric acid, - ALMAGEL, MAALOX etc.), sulfonamides, antiepileptic drugs, the absorption of folic acid in the intestine is significantly reduced. Reception ASPIRINA in high doses, nitrofuran drugs (prescribed for urinary tract infections), oral contraceptives, corticosteroid hormones reduces the concentration of folic acid in the blood.
Verified: no risk!
In the United States, there is a law requiring manufacturers to add fairly high doses of folic acid to flour in order to prevent a deficiency of this vitamin in the population. In addition, in the United States, the prophylactic dosage of folic acid is 2 times higher than in Russia. No negative effects on the genotype of folic acid doses used in Russia have been identified.
Vitamin B9 is water soluble. Folic acid does not have the property of independent activity, it acts as a coenzyme. Once in the body, in its living cells it is converted into biologically active tetrahydrofolic acid. As a coenzyme, it is involved in the intracellular production of proteins, the formation of red blood cells, and in the construction of nervous tissue.
Vitamin B9, stimulating the production of hydrochloric acid, stimulates the appetite. It protects the health of the skin and hair. Also, the actions of folic acid include participation in the production of the hormone of joy serotonin than it provides us with a good mood, increases resistance to stress.
Sources of folic acid in the body
Small amounts of folic acid are produced in the large intestine. But its main absorption is carried out in a thin section.
Folic acid is quite unstable, easily destroyed by sunlight. Cooking food destroys up to 90% of vitamin B9. And when storing fresh green vegetables for 3 days, vitamin B9 is destroyed by 70%.
Where, what foods contain folic acid (or, if you like, vitamin B9)?
Natural sources of vitamin B9 are leafy vegetables, yeast, legumes, and liver. Of the greens, it is worth mentioning currant and raspberry leaves, mint, nettles, dandelions, beets and beet tops, bananas.
The table shows foods rich in folic acid. The percentage is calculated from the average daily requirement for folic acid.
Chemically synthesized folic acid is easier for the body to absorb. Incoming with food is adsorbed only by 50%. 0.01 mg of folic acid in foods is equivalent to 0.6 mg in its synthetic form.
Do I need to drink synthetic folic acid and why? Since the usual daily diet does not cover our needs for vitamin B9, it is recommended to supplement it in order to avoid a lack of folic acid in the body. Folic acid is produced in the form of powder, tablets, capsules, and is part of multivitamin complexes. There are ampoules with a solution of vitamins for hair, which also includes vitamin B9.
The average cost of folic acid preparations in Moscow pharmacies:
- folic acid tablets 1 mg No. 50 - 25 rubles;
- "9 months Folic acid" 400 mcg No. 30 - 85-93 rubles;
- Dietary supplements with folic acid, capsules No. 90 - 101 rubles.
There are pharmacy analogues of vitamin B9: askofol (with ascorbic acid), foliber.
Take vitamin B9 tablets once a day, preferably with meals. The dosage is determined by the individual need. In order to prevent deficiency of vitamin B9 (folic acid), take 1-2 mg or 20-50 mcg per day.
Daily allowance by age
Required dose depending on age:
- 0-1 year - 25-35 mcg.
- 1-7 years - 50-75 mcg.
- 7-14 years - 100-150 mcg.
- From 15 years old - 200 mcg.
- Pregnant women - 400 mcg.
- Nursing mothers - 300 mcg.
- When planning pregnancy, the dose of folic acid should be increased to 400 mcg per day.
- Elderly people - 200-400 mcg.
Diseases caused by vitamin B9 deficiency
The normal level of folic acid in the blood is 6-25 ng / l. The deficiency indicator is 3-5.9 ng / l. The indicator of hypovitaminosis is 3 ng/l and below. The normal content of folic acid in erythrocytes is 100 ng/l and above.
Symptoms of folic acid deficiency are non-specific:
- weakness,
- decrease in performance
- headaches,
- emotional instability,
- sleep and memory disturbance.
The reasons for the deficiency are: violation of the transport of folic acid from the intestines to the blood, caused by chronic colitis; defective intake with food; increased needs due to pregnancy, diseases with increased cell division (oncology, infections).
Alcoholism as a chronic intoxication is a serious factor in the development of B9 deficiency. It depletes folic acid and impairs its absorption in the small intestine.
Severe vitamin B9 deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia. In this pathology, the bone marrow produces giant immature red blood cells. They are quickly destroyed and the content of normal erythrocytes in the blood is sharply reduced. The disease can be fatal if the patient is not treated.
The causes of hypovitaminosis B9 may be weight loss diets. It can occur in patients who undergo hemodialysis and are on intensive care and parenteral nutrition.
Especially dangerous is the lack of vitamin B9 during pregnancy., . The risk of developing toxicosis of pregnant women, depression, anemia increases. There is a danger of spontaneous abortions, stillbirth, placental abruption.
The fetus is deficient in vitamin B9 can cause pathologies in the development of the neural tube, subsequently hydrocephalus, cerebral hernia, in severe cases - anencephaly.
In newborns, deficiency contributes to the occurrence of enteritis, diaper rash, malnutrition. There is an increased risk of complications from infections, delayed physical and mental development.
In elderly and middle-aged people neuritis, polyneuritis develop, and with a more severe deficiency - depressive disorders, memory impairment. Hypovitaminosis of vitamin B9 contributes to the development of atherosclerosis.
With a deficiency of vitamin B9, the synthesis of enzymes involved in the transformation of homocysteine into methionine is disrupted. This increases the amount of homocysteine in the blood plasma. The endogenous amino acid homocysteine is able to destroy the surface layer of the walls of blood vessels and promote the deposition of cholesterol.
Men lack folic acid threatened with infertility. The synthesis of spermatozoa is disrupted, they are defective in the set of chromosomes. This leads to congenital malformations and hereditary diseases in offspring (Down's syndrome).
Combination with other drugs
- Taking oral contraceptives and antiepileptic drugs reduces the level of B9 in the blood plasma.
- Biseptol reduces its adsorption in the intestine.
- Antibiotics inhibit the intestinal microflora that produces folic acid in the body.
The possibility of an overdose when taking B9 exists more theoretically.
Folic acid is found in most modern multivitamin complexes. And if a package with one of them is always present on our table and supplements our diet, we can be sure that we are reliably protected from beriberi.
Useful video
In this video, Elena Malysheva tells the whole truth about folic acid - why it is vital and where it is contained:
