What Does Lack Of Folic Acid Cause?

Folic acid and folate are two equivalent forms of dietary vitamin B-9, which has several purposes in the human body, including the production of red blood cells. A balanced diet generally provides adequate folic acid from foods such as fortified grains, and folate from foods such as orange juice, leafy greens and other vegetables, meats, fish and nuts. A lack of B-9 can cause anemia, a health condition related to a low blood count. Low levels of folic acid or folate during pregnancy can adversely affect fetal development.

Folic Acid vs. Folate

Folic acid is the laboratory-synthesized version of vitamin B-9, a form that lends itself to nutritive use as a food additive. You’ll find folic acid in enriched rice, flour, pasta, cereals and breads. Folate, the natural form of B-9, exists in large amounts in cooked dry beans, spinach and liver. You can eat foods with either type of B-9 content to achieve your daily total of 400 mcg, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While pregnant or breast-feeding, women should consume 500 to 600 mcg of B-9 per day. On food labels, folic acid and folate may appear as “dietary folate equivalent.”

Vitamin B-9 Deficiency

A shortage of this B vitamin in the body can occur due to poor nutrition, pregnancy, alcoholism, cancer treatment or vitamin-blocking medications. Pregnancy changes the composition of women’s blood and may result in a decreased ratio of red blood cells to plasma. If you are pregnant or planning ahead for parenthood, your doctor will probably suggest increasing your folic acid intake. The large doses in fortified cereal and vitamin supplements help prevent nutrient imbalance and vitamin-deficiency anemia, as well as birth defects that may arise from low vitamin B-9 levels.

Anemia Symptoms

Because vitamin levels can drop gradually and health problems develop at a similar pace, you might lack noticeable symptoms when B-9 deficiency begins to reduce your blood count. As anemia progresses, you may experience a combination of cold extremities, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, paleness, chest pain and shortness of breath. Deficiency in one or more of the other nutrients needed to make red blood cells, including iron and vitamin B-6, can also cause these signs of anemia. Your doctor will suggest diagnostic tests to discern the status of your folic acid and folate levels.

Birth Defects

Low vitamin B-9 intakes in pregnant women may contribute to abnormal brain, skull and spinal development in their babies. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, women need sufficient folate or folic acid even prior to conception to guard against the neural tube defects that cause anacephaly and spina bifida. Women of childbearing age are encouraged to take 400 mcg of folic acid per day, in addition to eating foods with natural folate.