Folic acid is a synthetic, water soluble B vitamin used in supplements and fortified foods. It occurs naturally in green leafy vegetables in the form of folate. Folate is important for cell production and maintenance, particularly during pregnancy and in growing infants. Some groups of people, especially pregnant women, will benefit from folic acid supplementation.
Folate Deficiency Symptoms
An adequate supply of folate is obtained by eating a balanced diet. A variety of vegetables and fruits contain folate, such as asparagus, avocado, beans, broccoli, brown rice, chickpeas, lettuce, peas, spinach, yeast extract, oranges and bananas. Some people may be at risk of folate deficiency and should consume foods fortified with folic acid, such as bread and cereals, and/or take a folic acid supplement.
Reasons for needing folic acid include:
- Not getting enough folate from natural food sources
- Circumstances that increase the need for folate
- Conditions that hinder the absorption of folate
- Excreting too much folate
Pregnancy, alcoholism, anaemia, and some medications increase the need for folic acid. Symptoms of folate deficiency include:
- Slow growth rate in children
- Anaemia in adults
- Digestive problems leading to diarrhoea, poor appetite and weight loss
- Weakness and fatigue
- Sore tongue
- Headaches
- Abnormal heart beat
- Feeling irritable and forgetting things
Folic Acid Supplements During Pregnancy
Pregnant women who are deficient in folate have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely, giving birth to a baby of low weight, and giving birth to a baby with neural tube defects. The UK Food Standards Agency advises women to take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms per day if they are trying to become pregnant, and during the first three months of pregnancy.
Folic acid supplements help prevent neural tube defects in the growing foetus, such as spina bifida (a condition where the membranes covering the spinal cord protrude through the backbone) and anencephaly (missing parts of the skull and brain). If a woman has already been affected by a neural tube defect during pregnancy, a dose higher than 400 micrograms may be recommended.
Folate is a water soluble vitamin not stored by the body, and needs to be consumed daily. People who are not pregnant or not trying to become pregnant can meet their folate requirements through a varied, balanced diet. Women who are trying to conceive or who are in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy should take a folic acid supplement to help prevent neural tube defects.
For more information about vitamins, refer to What are the Water Soluble Vitamins? and What are the Fat Soluble Vitamins?
Sources:
- Food Standards Agency. “Folic Acid.” (Accessed 20th September 2009)
- Office of Dietary Supplements. “Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate.” (Accessed 20th September 2009)
Sharon Kirby - Sharon is a freelance health writer and contributes to various print and online publications. Writing credits include Nursing Times, Good ...
