Folic acid is synthetic vitamin folate; people do call it a pregnancy hero (vitamin B9) as it is used to synthesize blood cells (red blood cells) and also maintain cell growth and function. Some of the research released shows that folic acid can be found in some foods, mostly cereals, dark green vegetables, and citrus fruits, this natural God’s gift. Folic acid can be taken in tablet form or liquid form.
It is important to pregnant women as it helps to develop neural tubes in their brain and spinal cord. So if you are pregnant, look for a fortified cereal bowl or get dark green kale which means every day. Your kid will not have defects on the day of birth. Also, records show a woman who takes folic acid before getting pregnant; do not face early delivery. CDC advice people to take folic acid early before getting pregnant like one month before getting pregnant
USES OF FOLIC ACID.
1. ESRD
People who suffer from ESRD (end-stage renal diseases) kidney disease have high homocysteine levels, and folic acid can reduce Homocysteine levels in their bodies. As we all know, homocysteine is linked to heart attack, yes it can be lowered, but folic acid does not prevent or reduce the risk of a heart attack. Please keep that in mind. Vit B9 is just used to treat serious kidney disease.
2. Hyperhomocysteinemia.
If you have homocysteine in your blood and it exceeds 11-12 micromoles/L, you are recommended to take folic acid with vitamin B12 as it is known to reduce homocysteine by 19% to 29%. Homocysteine leads to a heart attack, so you better reduce it before things get out of hand.
3. Reduce birth defects. As we have talked about before, folic acid helps pregnant to develop a neural tube that connects their brain and spinal cord. Pregnant women need to take folic acid 600-800 MCG every day. Or one month before getting pregnant, take folic acid. If you had to experienced neural tube defects during birth, you are advised to take 4000mcg daily. Take it seriously; it will help you.
4. Reduce the effects of Methotrexate.
Vitamin B9 is toxic to this drug; hence it tends to reduce effects initiated by Methotrexate e,.g vomiting and nausea. These are possible effects caused by this drug. We recommend you take folic acid as it is toxic to it.
5. Stroke.
According to research taking folic acid reduces stroke by about 10%, but the funny thing about it is that in countries that do not fortify their grains with folic acid, it works compared to those who don’t.
6. Growth of hair.
Folic acid speeds up hair growth, patients who show suffering from thin hair or they do have hair loss are advised to take in more folic acid. Folic acid initiates the growth of cells and tissue.
7. Depression.
According to research, low folate in your body leads to depression. It was seen taking folic acid supplements reduces mood disorders or stress. Folic acid facilitates the stimulation of Serotonin, norepinephrine, and many other enzymes that are not associated with depression but only happiness.
8. Blood pressure.
According to researchers taking folic acid for six weeks daily reduces blood pressure actually to. Those people who are affected or suffering from high blood pressure are advised to take folic acid daily.
9. Gum disease.
During pregnancy, women do have gum problems; when we apply folic acid, it reduces the effect of the gum disease. We also have a Phenytoin drug effect that’s do enlarge our gums when we use it. When we apply folic acid reduces this effect. Applying it, means do not swallow.
10. Improves memory. Records show taking folic acid by old people; it improves their brain thinking availabilities seems to work on old people with high homocysteine or way too low vitamin B9. The problem is mostly called Dementia. They do not have enough evidence on this, but some research shows folic acid prevents Dementia.
11. Increase in red Blood cells.
As we said before, the purpose of folic acid in our body is to create healthy red blood cells. It is good to take folic acid as it will improve oxygen flow within our body. Mostly is about the deficiency of iron in our bloodstream. It is effective to take iron into our bodies directly alone without folic acid. Folic acid will make a healthy red blood cells if we have iron in our body system. People who suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B9 do have large red blood cells. Large compared to a normal blood cell. (megaloblastic anemia.)
SO if you want to get better folic acid is your ideal prescription. Eat a lot of fortified cereals which means dried maize bean and more.
12. Breast cancer.
Here the research is not consistent, but we are told taking folic acid does reduce the high chances of getting breast cancer. But the patient should be taking a high amount of Methionine, vitamin B12, or B6. If you take it alone, it won’t work. It is believed it can protect patients from skin cancer and pancreatic cancer.
13. Vision loss.
Taking folic acid as a supplement to vitamin B6 or B12 reduces the risk of losing sight in elderly people.
14. Promote digestion.
Did you know folic acid does take part in protein digestion in our body? Does research show folic acid is used to keep digestion safe from malnutrition? Malnutrition does not only affect our health but also affects the digestive system. Vitamin b9, 12, and C do help to keep our digestion normal and effective.
15. Reduces chances of getting Crohn’s disease.
Research shows people with Crohn’s disease do not have folic acid in their bodies, or they have little folic acid. Folic deficiency leads to Crohn’s disease as its absorption takes place in the jejunum(in the small intestine)or ileum. Our patient will have a loss of appetite, and you will get a prescription from the doctor and over counter drugs, but it’s recommended to take folic acid in your diet.
Folic aside is not perfect. It has its own side effect and ineffectiveness. Sometimes they are neutralized by other materials, which might be drugs or food substances. If you have never used folic acid before, I recommend you check out with the doctors before consuming them. If you have allergies, you can get itching, body skin rash, and redness, so take your time and see what is safe and healthy for you. When you take folic acid with depressant drugs, some are not as strong as folic acid; hence folic acid will reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
