Folic acid deficiency can lead to anemia and symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Risk factors include poor diet, medical conditions, certain medications, kidney dialysis, and age. Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid supplements to prevent neural tube defects. Diagnosis involves a blood test and treatment includes increasing folic acid intake and addressing the underlying cause.
Folic acid deficiency is a deficiency in folic acid or folate, one of the B vitamins. This vitamin plays a role in a number of processes within the body. Left untreated, a folic acid deficiency will progress to folic acid anemia, also known as folate anemia, a form of megaloblastic anemia. Common symptoms of folic acid deficiency can include loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. There are a number of steps people can take to reduce their risks of developing these folic acid deficiency symptoms.
People at risk for folic acid deficiency include people who don’t eat a balanced diet or who have a medical condition that interferes with nutrient absorption, such as alcoholism or malabsorption disorder. Some medications can lead to deficiencies because they interfere with how the body processes nutrients, and people on kidney dialysis are at risk for folic acid deficiency because folic acid is expressed at a higher rate. Age is another risk factor.
When people hear the words “folic acid,” they often think of pregnancy, because pregnant women are advised to take folic acid supplements. This is a result of the body using folic acid to a greater extent during pregnancy and also during breastfeeding, putting women at risk for a folic acid deficiency. Also, babies born to mothers with a folic acid deficiency are more likely to be premature and may have neural tube defects.
The symptoms of folic acid deficiency can be very subtle at first, and this can make diagnosing this vitamin deficiency difficult unless a patient and doctor are looking specifically for it. Some early signs may include fatigue, sore tongue, headache, irritability, loose stools, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Over time, the condition will result in anemia, which will increase the intensity of these symptoms.
A folic acid deficiency can usually be corrected by increasing your folic acid intake. People can determine if they are deficient in this nutrient by taking a blood test. Your blood will be analyzed to determine its composition and to specifically look for abnormally low levels of specific nutrients that should be present. If the cause of a folic acid deficiency is not known, treatment should also include determining the cause and treating it. Someone who is pregnant, for example, would know why they have a folate deficiency, while someone with no known health problems who develops folic acid deficiency symptoms should be examined to learn more about what’s going on inside the body.
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