Nutrient 4/27

Folate/Folic Acid 

फोलेट / फोलिक एसिड

What does it do?

You may have heard that women need folate before and during pregnancy to prevent birth defects. This is true. Folate, a water-soluble B vitamin, helps produce DNA and form healthy new cells, which is why it’s especially important for mothers-to-be. We all need folate, for this reason and because, with vitamin B12, folate helps create normal red blood cells. We get two forms of folate in our diet: the naturally occurring form in foods, known as food folate, and folic acid, the form used in dietary supplements and fortified foods.

What are the best food sources?

Rich sources of folate include dark green vegetables, beans and fortified cereals. Some fruits, such as cantaloupe, honeydew melon, oranges and orange and grapefruit juices, are also good sources of folate. , products like bread, pasta, flour, breakfast cereal and rice can greatly contribute to folate intakes.

What happens if you don’t get enough?

Over time, inadequate folate intakes can lead to megaloblastic anemia, a condition characterized by abnormally large red blood cells that do not carry oxygen to properly fuel cells throughout the body. Symptoms of this condition include weakness, fatigue, irritability, difficulty in concentrating and shortness of breath. If you also happen to have iron or vitamin B12 deficiency, which have similar symptoms, this condition is hard to diagnose.

Pregnant women who don’t get enough folate, especially during the first trimester, are at risk of delivering a baby with neural tube defects.

What happens if you get too much?

Consuming too much folate from food doesn’t seem to result in ill effects, at least not in healthy individuals. But don’t go out and load up on folate—scientists say that amounts above those recommended offer no benefit.

People who are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency should be particularly cautious of consuming too much folic acid from supplements and fortified foods. High intakes of folic acid supplements may mask or delay the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, putting individuals at risk of neurological damage. Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs when a lack of vitamin B12 prevents the body from producing enough red blood cells, which prevents body cells from getting the oxygen they need. If vitamin B12 levels remain low for too long, the result can be potentially permanent brain and nerve cell damage.
Those at higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency include people who follow a vegan diet (B12 is found in animal-based foods), adults older than 50 (who often don’t produce enough of the stomach enzyme needed to effectively absorb B12) and anyone with a digestive problem that impairs absorption of nutrients (e.g., celiac disease, Crohn’s). Consult your physician if you fall into one of these categories.

How much do you need?

The following table lists the recommended intake for healthy people based on current scientific information.

Life Stage Group	Age Range	Recommended Dietary Allowance/Adequate Intake	Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
Infants	0-6 mo.	65* micrograms/day	Source should be from food only to prevent high levels of intake.
Infants	7-12 mo.	80* micrograms/day	Not determinable for infants due to lack of data on
Children	1-3 yr.	150 micrograms/day	300 micrograms/day
Children	4-8 yr.	200 micrograms/day	400 micrograms/day
Males	9-13 yr.	300 micrograms/day	600 micrograms/day
Males	14-18 yr.	400 micrograms/day	800 micrograms/day
Males	19-30 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Males	31-50 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Males	51-70 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Females	9-13 yr.	300 micrograms/day	600 micrograms/day
Females	14-18 yr.	400 micrograms/day	800 micrograms/day
Females	19-30 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Females	31-50 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Females	51-70 yr.	400 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Pregnancy	< 18 yr.	600 micrograms/day	800 micrograms/day
Pregnancy	19-30 yr.	600 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Pregnancy	31-50 yr.	600 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Lactation	< 18 yr.	500 micrograms/day	800 micrograms/day
Lactation	19-30 yr.	500 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day
Lactation	31-50 yr.	500 micrograms/day	1,000 micrograms/day