Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate. Folate is a B vitamin that helps to produce and maintain cells in your body. During periods of rapid cell growth such as in infants or during pregnancy, folic acid is an important supplement. Folate is necessary to make red blood cells and maintain normal levels of homocysteine, an amino acid. Low folic acid can affect various parts of your body and may cause health problems.
Anemia
Because folic acid is essential in children and adults to make red blood cells, if you are not getting enough folic acid in your diet, you may be at risk for developing anemia. Folic acid makes the hemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen to the cells in your body. Low folic acid reduces the hemoglobin in your body, which may cause persistent fatigue, pale skin, dizziness, cold hands and feet, headache, chest pain or shortness of breath. Anticonvulsant medications, diuretics, cancer drugs and sedative can interfere with folate absorption in your body. Certain physical conditions may increase folate loss such as kidney dialysis, liver disease, alcohol abuse and certain anemias.
Neural Tube Defects
Pregnant women who have low folic acid are at a greater risk for developing neural tube defects, low birth weight or premature babies. Neural tube defects, or NTDs, associated with low folic acid include anencephaly, or malformed brain, and spina bifida, or malformed spine. Taking folic acid supplements helps protect pregnant women against these neural tube defects, according to a review of 50 years of research on NTDs published in the January 2007 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Slow Growth Rate
Low levels of folic acid in newborns and infants may slow normal growth rates, according to a study published in the January 1977 issue of "Archives of Disease in Childhood." In the study, 73 infants with a low birth weight were monitored during their first year of life. Researchers found that the folic acid stores in the low birth weight babies were below normal, which reduced their growth rates. This suggests that folic acid supply in the second half of a baby's first year plays a significant role in how fast your baby grows. Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy affects the folate level of your newborn baby and may be a limiting factor in his growth.
Cardiovascular Disease
Low folic acid can affect your levels of homocysteine, an amino acid. Folic acid helps metabolize homosysteine, reducing the amount in your blood, which helps protect your coronary arteries against damage and clotting. High levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to an article published in the July 2009 issue of the "American Journal of Medical Sciences."
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
- MayoClinic.com: Anemia; February 19, 2011
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Folate and Neural Tube Defects; R.M. Pitkin; January 2007
- "Archives of Disease in Childhood": Influence of Folic Acid on Birthweight; G. Gandy; January 1977
- "American Journal of Medical Sciences": Folic Acid Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease; LA Bazzano; July 2009
- "Science Daily": Use Folic Acid to Cut Heart Disease; 11-28-06
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