Not only pregnant women need to ensure they get enough folic acid

Whether blood formation, cell division, protein or fat metabolism: Folic acid (BXNUMX) plays an important role in many processes. A deficiency is harmful, but too much is also harmful. Do we need nutritional supplements?

First, a clarification of the term: The term folic acid refers to a synthetically produced vitamin, also known as vitamin B 9. The naturally occurring compounds of this vitamin are called folates. In everyday language, both forms are grouped together under folic acid.

The vitamin is sensitive to heat and light and is also water-soluble. It owes its name to the Latin word "folium" (leaf), as it was first isolated from spinach leaves. But why does the body need folic acid? It is generally known that pregnant women should take additional folic acid in tablet form. If there is a deficiency, unborn children are at risk of deformities such as spina bifida, a defect in the neural tube. A deficiency can also lead to autism and increase the tendency to premature birth or congenital heart defects.

But even those who are not pregnant need folic acid for numerous processes: Folic acid is needed for cell division and cell development, the formation of the genetic material DNA, blood formation, protein metabolism and fat metabolism. "A folic acid deficiency often occurs as a result of increased alcohol consumption, intestinal or liver diseases," explains the internist. Dr. Reinhold Lunow. The medical director of the Praxisklinik Bornheim near Cologne and Bonn: "The symptoms are often non-specific: irritability, lack of concentration, depressive mood, exhaustion, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, but also inflammation of the tongue (glossitis) and anemia can occur."

Folic acid deficiency promotes arteriosclerosis

Likewise, a deficiency promotes the development of arteriosclerosis and increases the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases including Heart attack and StrokeThe risk of developing dementia increases with age.

Since the body cannot produce folic acid itself, the vitamin must be obtained through food. Yeast, wheat germ and wheat bran, veal and poultry liver in particular contain plenty of folic acid. Other sources include whole grain products, green leafy vegetables, spinach, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, egg yolks and nuts.

The folic acid concentration in the blood is 5-20 μg/l (micrograms/liter). "The recommended daily dose for men and women is about 300 to 400 μg; 800 μg is recommended during pregnancy," says Dr. Lunow. Our body can store a maximum of 12 to 15 mg (milligrams) of folic acid, which would be enough for about three to four months if no more folic acid was taken.

Body cannot process excess folic acid

In order for the vitamin to be effective in the various metabolic processes, a conversion process is necessary: ​​the body converts the folic acid into the so-called coenzyme tetrahydrofolate (THF). If the folic acid concentration increases, however, no more THF is produced due to the limited speed of this process. Instead, the amount of folic acid that has not yet been converted increases - and may overshadow a vitamin B12 deficiency with damage to the nervous system.

If there is too little folic acid, cell division processes are impaired because the formation of new DNA required for this depends on folic acid. There is too little THF available to form sufficient nucleobases (adenine, guanine and thymidine).

The extent to which too much folic acid is harmful to health is currently a matter of debate, as too few studies have been carried out on this topic. Too high a concentration is suspected of promoting the development of various precancerous conditions. Because of its involvement in cell division, Cancer therapy The absorption of folic acid is sometimes suppressed with medication in order to stop cancer growth.

In contrast, scientists have found that additional folic acid intake reduces the risk of some types of cancer (Cancer in the mouth and throat, breast cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, Prostate cancer) lowers.

Folic acid is added to many foods

Folic acid is now added to many foods, especially cereal mixes, fruit juices, dairy products and salt. Turning to dietary supplements containing folic acid in tablet form is therefore a double-edged sword.

“Actually, healthy people can meet their daily folic acid requirements through a balanced Nutrition "But the reality is often different: very few people eat five portions of fruit and fresh vegetables every day. Four out of five Germans only consume between 200 and 300 micrograms per day, which is below their needs."

Before taking folic acid supplements, medical Diagnosis

So should you resort to appropriate nutritional supplements and also take folic acid in tablet form? “No,” says the expert for prevention and Diagnosis“Before you take such preparations, you should know your current folic acid level. And only a blood test can provide this quickly and reliably. family doctor one should then clarify whether and how much additional folic acid is necessary."

A blood test shows a deficiency after just two to three weeks of consuming too little folic acid: the so-called plasma folic acid in the blood then drops. A long-term deficiency can be determined by the folate contained in the red blood cells, the concentration of which drops.

In addition to the blood test and a physical examination, you should also check your eating habits. “This is where the special Nutritional consultation in our practice clinic", says Dr. Lunow. "Especially when it comes to folic acid, it's not just what we eat that matters. The correct preparation of the food is also crucial. To ensure that the folic acid is not lost, food must be prepared gently: soaked in water for as little time as possible and cooked gently. Otherwise the vitamin is lost before the food ends up on our plate."

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