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What Is Folic Acid and What Is It Used For?
What Is Folic Acid?
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as vitamin B9. Initially isolated from the liver, it was later named folic acid due to its high content in plant green leaves.
What Is the Function of Folic Acid?
Folic acid is the main donor of one carbon unit and an important coenzyme in the process of cellular DNA synthesis. It participates in the synthesis of amino acids and nucleic acids and plays a crucial role in cell replication, division, tissue differentiation, and other aspects.
The Hazards of Folate Deficiency?
The time for neural tube closure in human embryos is from the 21st to the 28th day after conception. During this period, if the mother lacks folic acid, there may be obstacles in the closure of the fetal neural tube, leading to adverse outcomes such as anencephaly, encephalocele, and spina bifida.
Folic acid deficiency can hinder DNA synthesis, leading to a decrease in DNA synthesis in bone marrow erythroblasts, resulting in slow nuclear maturation and division, slow cell division, imbalanced nuclear cytoplasmic development, increased cell volume, and megaloblastic anemia.
Low folate levels can also cause an increase in homocysteine, increasing the risk of arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and hypertension. Homocysteine can cause damage to placental endothelial cells, limiting fetal growth and increasing the risk of maternal preeclampsia.
Lack of folic acid can also lead to DNA hypomethylation, increasing the risk of developing tumors.
In summary, a lack of folic acid is associated with neural tube defects, megaloblastic anemia, cleft lip and palate, tumors, and other diseases. A lack of folic acid during pregnancy can also increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
How to Determine If There Is A Lack of Folic Acid?
The folate status of individuals is influenced by multiple factors, such as genetic variations related to folate metabolism, increased folate demand during pregnancy or lactation, unhealthy dietary habits such as alcohol and vegetarianism, gastrointestinal diseases affecting folate absorption, and long-term use of drugs that antagonize folate metabolism.
The deficiency of folic acid often goes through the following stages: insufficient intake or increased demand → decreased serum folate levels → decreased folate levels in red blood cells, increased serum homocysteine levels → giant cell changes in bone marrow or other proliferating tissues.
In clinical practice, folate levels can be comprehensively evaluated by detecting serum folate levels, red blood cells, folate levels in urine, and blood homocysteine levels. Serum folate levels can reflect recent folate nutritional status, while red blood cell folate levels can reflect long-term (within 4 months) folate nutritional status.
How To Supplement Folic Acid?
(1) After ingestion, folic acid is hydrolyzed in the small intestine, partially absorbed and partially excreted through urine or feces. Therefore, foods rich in folic acid can be chosen to improve the nutritional status of folic acid. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fennel, amaranth, broccoli, animal foods such as liver, lean meat, kidneys, egg yolks, grains such as quinoa, soybeans, mixed beans, fruits such as citrus, kiwi, etc.
(2) Is dietary supplementation enough? In fact, the structure of folic acid in natural foods is unstable and sensitive to light, heat, and acid. It may be damaged during processing or absorbed and utilized by various factors, making it difficult to meet the required amount of folic acid.
For high-risk populations living in economically underdeveloped areas, during pregnancy and lactation, long-term use of certain drugs that interfere with folate metabolism, excessive alcohol consumption, folate metabolism gene mutations, etc., folate supplementation should be based on individual circumstances.
Do You Need to Supplement Folic Acid After 3 Months of Pregnancy Or Lactation?
Women are more prone to anemia in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, and the nutrients required for fetal growth increase. It is recommended that women in the middle and late stages of pregnancy not only regularly consume foods rich in folic acid, but also continue to supplement at least 0.4mg of folic acid per day if conditions permit. Folic acid can also be supplemented at least 0.4mg/d during lactation.
How to Choose Between Regular Synthetic Folic Acid or Active Folic Acid?
There are various types of folic acid available on the market for selection. What are the differences between different types of folic acid? In fact, it is more important for the folic acid supplement to be fully absorbed and utilized.
After entering the human body, ordinary synthetic folic acid needs to undergo a long process of enzymatic activity metabolism to be converted into a directly absorbed form, namely 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. However, active folic acid does not need to undergo metabolic processes and can be directly absorbed by the intestine, with high utilization rate. Through folate metabolism gene testing, if the results are normal, synthetic folate or active folate can be chosen. If folate metabolism disorders are detected, it is recommended to choose active folate.
In summary, folic acid can not only reduce the occurrence of fetal developmental defects, but also improve the health level of the mother. Women of childbearing age need to have a balanced diet during preparation for pregnancy, pregnancy, or lactation, and supplement folic acid preparations reasonably to improve the nutritional status of folic acid. Balanced nutrition, scientifically precise supplementation of folic acid, let's welcome the arrival of a healthy baby together!