What does folic acid do and how does it work

Folic acid is a complex of several B vitamins, which scientists extracted and purified from spinach leaves, hence the name folic acid. I believe you are familiar with the term folic acid is closely related to pregnant women, so let's learn about the role, effects and side effects of folic acid.

Origin of folic acid

In 1939, a doctor in Bombay, India discovered that yeast extract could be used to treat anemia in pregnant women, i.e. megaloblastic anemia, and it was so effective that the doctor thought it was a group of vitamins and named it "folic acid". In 1941, an American doctor found a large amount of leaf essence in spinach, and found that this substance is widely present in green leafy vegetables, so it is called folic acid.

Functions of folic acid

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for human cell growth and hematopoiesis. The most important function of folic acid is to produce red and white blood cells and enhance immunity.

The role of folic acid

1、Prevent fetal malformation

Folic acid can improve megaloblastic anemia, and a safe intake of folic acid by pregnant women can prevent vascular sclerosis, fetal malformation and premature birth.

2、Promote lactation

In addition, pregnant women need to start folic acid supplementation in the first trimester of pregnancy to meet the needs of pregnancy, because generally folic acid can play a physiological role only after 4 weeks of intake into the body through transformation. Lactating women can promote lactation through folic acid supplementation.

3、Other roles

Folic acid supplementation can improve redness and pain of the tongue, depression, fatigue and insomnia; prevent intestinal parasites and food poisoning; promote healthy skin and reproduce oral mucosal ulcers; prevent gray hair when taken with pantothenic acid and para-aminobenzoic acid; and promote appetite when taken in debilitating conditions.

Side effects of folic acid

At present, the biggest problem of taking folic acid is not the problem of folic acid side effects, but the problem of folic acid overdose. An overdose of folic acid can lead to the following hazards. 1. Taking more than the safe daily intake of folic acid can inhibit the absorption of zinc and lead to zinc deficiency, such as anorexia and fetal growth retardation. 2. An overdose of folic acid can interfere with the action of anticonvulsant drugs and induce convulsive seizures in patients. 3, overdose of folic acid can also cause symptoms such as abdominal distension, nausea and yellow urine. 4. Overdose of folic acid can also mask other vitamin deficiencies, thus allowing people to neglect supplementation of other vitamins and damage the nervous system. Therefore, the most important thing is to take the right amount of folic acid according to your health condition, and to avoid negative effects.

Requirements of folic acid for different groups of people

1、Adults

The requirement of folic acid is 3.1 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, a 65 kg male needs to consume 200 micrograms of folic acid per day and a 55 kg female needs to consume 170 micrograms of folic acid per day.

2、Pregnancy/preparation period

Pregnant women need 7 mcg per kg body weight per day; lactating women need 5 mcg per kg body weight per day, while women generally need 400 mcg per day during pregnancy preparation, depending on the instructions for each type of folic acid tablets.

3、Children

Infants younger than 1 year old need 3.6 micrograms per kilogram per day, and children between 1 and 16 years old need 16 micrograms per kilogram per day.

People who need special folic acid supplementation

1、Pregnant women: Folic acid is especially important for pregnant women. Deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women can lead to megaloblastic anemia, which can cause miscarriage and fetal neural tube malformation. 2、Women who take contraceptive pills for a long time: women who take contraceptive pills for a long time are very prone to folic acid deficiency, so they should also take more folic acid supplements. 3, children: children's folic acid supplementation can promote growth and development. 4, the elderly: anemia in the elderly will folic acid and vitamin B12 together can improve anemia, effective treatment of gout, because folic acid can promote the synthesis of nucleic acid, reduce purines and prevent the concentration of uric acid in the blood from rising; elderly people taking folic acid and vitamin B12 also help to improve memory and improve mental status. In addition, people who love to drink alcohol, hyperthyroidism patients and cancer patients also need more folic acid supplements.

Food sources of folic acid

Animal foods such as pork liver, muscle, beef, lamb, milk, etc. Green vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, not radish, lobelia, cauliflower, rape, asparagus, etc. Fruits such as oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, lemons, peaches, plums, prunes, apricots, sour dates, grapes, kiwis, hawthorn, pecans, etc. Soy products and nuts such as dried aromatics, tofu, bean curd, walnuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, cashew nuts, etc.