1. Folate for Cell Health
Folate is a water soluble B-vitamin that is especially beneficial during periods of rapid cell growth and development. That's why women take folic acid, or folate, when pregnant. Folate is also important for babies, as this is the time when their bodies develop quickly. Babies grow everyday, and adequate amounts of folate in their diet helps ensure the development of healthy cells. Folate also helps prevent anemia and is especially important in the making of red blood cells in particular.
2. Find Folate in Food
With any vitamin or mineral, it's best to get as much folate as possible from natural sources. Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and dried beans are all great natural sources of folate. Fortified breakfast cereals are also a great source of folate. The FDA requires that all breads, cereals and whole grains, like rice and oats, have folate; so much of the folate we consume comes from these sources.
3. How Much is Enough?
Most people get the needed amount of folate from the breads and cereals they consume on a regular basis. The recommended daily allowance for folate is 150 mg for children ages 1 to 3, 200 mg for ages 4 to 8, 300 mg for ages 9 to 13, 400 mg for ages 14 to 18, and 400 mg for age 18 and over. These numbers increase for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to 600 mg per day for pregnancy and 500 mg per day for breastfeeding. In most cases, Americans get their RDA of folate from the fortified products they consume and adding extra is only necessary for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
4. Folate Deficiency
Folate deficiency happens when your need for folate is greater than your intake. As mentioned before, this most often occurs during pregnancy and lactation, but there are other times when folate deficiency happens. People who abuse alcohol are at risk for insufficient amounts of folate in their bodies. People on kidney dialysis or with liver disease often have decreased levels of folate, as well as those with certain types of anemia.
5. When You Need More
There are some signs and symptoms of folate deficiency. Women who don't have enough folate give birth to underweight or premature babies. Lack of folate in pregnant women puts babies at risk for neural tube defects. Folate deficiency in children may mean slower growth. Not enough folate in adults causes digestive disorders, weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, headache, sore tongue, heart palpitations, forgetfulness and irritability. Other conditions cause these same types of symptoms, so it's important to see your physician to see if too little folate is your problem.
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