Vitamin B9 folic acid is the vitamin of optimism, appetite, growth and sexual energy. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy. Why and when do you need vitamin B9? Indications and contraindications

Folic acid plays important role in the functioning of the body. It supports reproductive and reproductive health hematopoietic systems, normalizes the psycho-emotional state, promotes digestion. Lack of vitamin B 9 leads to a number of negative symptoms and calls serious illnesses. What are the symptoms of folic acid deficiency and why is it dangerous?

The role of folic acid

Vitamin B 9 takes part in almost every physiological process, occurring in the body. It stimulates protein synthesis, regulates the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, improves appetite and performance digestive system, and also activates the production of gastric juice.

Folic acid maintains hemoglobin at an optimal level and ensures the production of an element that takes part in the formation of iron. This prevents the development of iron deficiency anemia. In addition, it improves blood circulation and reduces homocysteine ​​concentrations. This prevents the development of diseases of cardio-vascular system, Alzheimer's disease.

Folic acid accelerates cell regeneration and improves immunity. It activates the production of serotonin, thereby maintaining emotional balance, improves mood, and prevents nervous breakdowns, depression.

Causes of deficiency

Lack of folic acid can be congenital. The pathology is caused by a violation of intrauterine fetal formation, genetic changes and hereditary diseases.

Inadequate and unhealthy diet can reduce the level of vitamin B 9: consumption of processed foods, fast food, preservatives, lack of greens, fruits and fresh vegetables in the diet. The risk of deficiency increases with excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Lack of vitamin causes organ diseases gastro- intestinal tract that interfere with absorption useful substances. Some medications, such as antidepressants and antibiotics, impair its absorption.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding. A significant amount of the substance is spent on the normal formation of the fetus, which creates a deficiency of B 9 in female body.

Signs

Folic acid regulates many processes, so its deficiency manifests itself quite clearly. Vitamin deficiency is characterized by skin problems, the appearance of acne, blackheads, and age spots. As a result of anemia, the skin becomes pale.

Symptoms of folic acid deficiency are fatigue, insomnia, apathy, irritability.

The functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted, the production of of hydrochloric acid. Low acidity inhibits the process of protein breakdown, which leads to muscle weakness. Decreased appetite is observed sudden loss weight.

Folic acid deficiency negatively affects work nervous system and psycho-emotional state. This is manifested by apathy, irritability, decreased activity and performance, constant fatigue. Sometimes there are problems with concentration, memory, and insomnia.

Complications

Symptoms of vitamin B 9 deficiency appear clearly and rapidly worsen. In the absence of treatment, after a month the concentration of folic acid decreases to critical level, and the condition worsens significantly.

Vitamin deficiency leads to serious consequences and the development of complications. A lack of folic acid interferes with the synthesis and absorption of iron and provokes the development of iron deficiency anemia.

As a result of a lack of substance, problems arise in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. In newborns, pathologies of the formation of the spine occur.

Vitamin B 9 deficiency leads to serious disorders in the functioning of the brain and mental disorders: apathy, depression, neuroses, suicidal thoughts. In particular difficult cases a person loses knowledge and skills, and dementia develops.

A deficiency of a substance affects reproductive function and the functioning of the genital organs. In men, sperm quality decreases and infertility is diagnosed. Women experience menopause prematurely, and adolescents experience delayed sexual development.

During pregnancy, folic acid deficiency negatively affects the development of the fetus, and the risk of developing defects and pathologies increases. In the future, the child may experience problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system and mental development. Women after pregnancy are often diagnosed with anemia and disorders of the nervous system ( postpartum depression, apathy, increased excitability).

Treatment

To restore normal folic acid levels, you need to adjust your diet and take medications. Drug treatment involves taking pills or giving injections. The dosage is selected individually and depends on the person’s weight and condition. The average daily dose is 100–200 mcg, the duration of therapy is from 1 to 4 months.

The drugs are well tolerated by the body and do not cause adverse reactions. The exception is individual intolerance, which is extremely rare. An overdose of folic acid was not recorded. This is due to the rapid breakdown of the vitamin and the removal of excess naturally.

Nutritional correction will help eliminate the deficiency of vitamin B 9 or maintain its concentration at an optimal level. Include sources of folic acid in your menu: animal liver, brewer's yeast, meat, eggs, fish. Be sure to use fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. Prolonged heat treatment of foods leads to the breakdown of folic acid and a decrease in its concentration, so raw vegetables and fruits are much healthier. Avoid alcohol and foods that take a long time to digest.

If there is a significant deficiency of vitamin B 9 and during pregnancy, the diet will not bring the desired result. In such cases, it is necessary to appoint drug therapy, and nutrition is used as an aid.

Folic acid supports normal work body, promotes proper intrauterine formation of the fetus and maintains health. Deficiency of the substance manifests itself with severe symptoms and leads to serious complications. To avoid this, watch your diet and take folic acid supplements if necessary.

Vitamin B9 is one of the most useful vitamins for human health, because it is responsible for the quality of our blood. However, it does not accumulate in the body and is quickly consumed. Therefore, it is important to consume foods with folic acid daily to replenish your supply and prevent vitamin B9 deficiency. Otherwise, it is possible to develop diseases due to a lack of vitamin B9 and deteriorate the functioning of the body as a whole. From our article you will learn what a lack of folic acid leads to.

First, let's look at the main reasons for the lack of folic acid in the body. Knowing about them, you can prevent vitamin B9 deficiency in advance. Note that, depending on where you live, vitamin B9 deficiency occurs in 20-100% of people.

Folic acid deficiency can occur due to poor diet, bad habits in nutrition (abuse of fast food, lack of vegetables and fruits in the diet). Therefore, it is most important to include foods rich in vitamin B9 in your diet.

Another reason for the development of diseases due to a lack of vitamin B9 is improper food preparation. Remember that it is destroyed by prolonged heat treatment. For example, when frying meat, up to 95% of folic acid is lost, when boiling eggs - up to 50%. We recommend consuming raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sprouted grains.

Another cause of hypovitaminosis is bad habits, especially drinking alcohol in large quantities, smoking. Children often suffer from vitamin B9 deficiency due to feeding with goat's milk. The amount of this vitamin in it is several times less than in fresh cow's milk.

Most often, folic acid deficiency and its symptoms are observed in women during pregnancy, in athletes with elevated physical activity and in childhood. This is due to the need to increase the daily intake of vitamin B9.

Some diseases, such as depression, Crohn's disease, hereditary anemia, hemolytic anemia, chronic diseases small intestine, may reduce the body's ability to absorb vitamin B9 or lead to the destruction of red blood cells.

Be careful when taking antiepileptic drugs and antibiotics, they affect the absorption of vitamins. We recommend that you consult with a specialist before starting to take them.

Vitamin B9 deficiency: symptoms

Signs and symptoms of folic acid deficiency may not appear immediately. This requires 1 to 4 weeks.

The first symptoms of vitamin B9 deficiency are lack of appetite, bad feeling, loss of strength, headaches, insomnia, irritability, memory impairment. Other symptoms of folic acid deficiency include weight loss, loss of taste, gastrointestinal disorders, red irritated tongue, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the lips, and causeless anxiety.

In some cases, there is an increase in the number infectious diseases, glossitis, ulcers form in the pharynx and oral cavity.

Headache is one of the symptoms of vitamin B9 deficiency

Consequences of folic acid deficiency

The main danger of folic acid deficiency is Iron-deficiency anemia and negative effects on cell growth. Also, a lack of vitamin B9 leads to pathologies of the central nervous system.

Due to a lack of vitamin B9, the risk of strokes, heart attacks, coronary syndromes. The following diseases are possible due to a lack of vitamin B9: megaloblastic anemia, malfunction of the immune system.

If a deficiency of folic acid is observed in a pregnant woman, she may give birth to children with developmental pathologies and diseases of the central nervous system. Often, a lack of vitamin B9 in pregnant women threatens spina bifida in the unborn child or slow growth, body deformities.

Lack of folic acid can cause other effects:

• pulmonary embolism
• unreasonable depression
• decreased activity
• vein problems
• mental disorders
• decreased mental activity
• skin rash
• irritability
• insomnia
• memory impairment
• weight loss
• development of mania and paranoia

For the first time, folic acid was discovered in green spinach leaves. That’s why today it is also called leaf vitamin. Water-soluble vitamin B9, or folic acid, is very important for the human body. But, unfortunately, it does not accumulate in it naturally. It can be destroyed in food products during heat treatment, and if food is stored for a long time and improperly, it can lose its properties even in room conditions. Vitamin B9 has a detrimental effect sunlight. Agree, a rather capricious element, but so necessary for health!

What does a lack of folic acid in the body lead to: symptoms, causes, what are the consequences of its lack? All this has been studied by specialists for many years. The conclusion is obvious: you need to eat the maximum possible amount of fresh vegetables and fruits, and replace your favorite fried and stewed dishes with salads and snacks made from products containing this vitamin. A sufficient daily dose for an adult is 200 mcg, and for a pregnant woman – up to 400 mcg.

Why does the body need folic acid?

Firstly, it is responsible for the process of formation of blood cells, which helps maintain hemoglobin levels. In turn, hemoglobin normalizes the production of protein necessary to provide the body with iron. Folic acid is needed for normal fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

How does folic acid deficiency manifest itself, what symptoms indicate it?

Deficiency of this vitamin can manifest itself in different ways. General health worsens to such an extent that a person develops apathy towards the world around him, loss of interest in solving everyday problems and business as usual. Adrenaline practically stops flowing into the blood, and this results in a decrease in activity, performance and energy. Irritability and aggression may appear against the background of a nervous system disorder. In some cases, manias and phobias are observed.

Symptoms of folic acid deficiency include skin problems. Acne, blackheads, psoriasis, vitiligo and any rashes inflammatory in nature they say that internal organ systems need vitamin B9.

The first signs that there is an acute shortage of folic acid make themselves felt after at least 8, maximum after 30 days.

Causes of folic acid deficiency in the body

Vitamin B9, unfortunately, does not accumulate in the body, so its reserves must be regularly replenished. The first and main cause of deficiency of this vitamin is an unbalanced diet and the lack of foods high in it in the diet. Cabbage contains large amounts of folic acid. different varieties, in cherries and gooseberries, in legumes and soybeans, as well as in citrus fruits, melon and figs. In addition, it is useful to eat liver and kidneys of large cattle, brewer's yeast and rowan.

The second common cause of vitamin B9 deficiency is frequent and overuse alcoholic drinks. People with chronic alcoholism inevitably face diseases caused by a lack of this component.

Many people know that during pregnancy, the need for folic acid in the female body increases several times. Take the course special tablets It is recommended to all expectant mothers who register with the antenatal clinic. During fetal development, the consumption of this substance by the body increases, so a set regular products it is impossible to make up for it.

Next reason – intestinal diseases, colitis and other conditions that lead to malabsorption useful components. Diseases such as thalassemia or anemia disrupt erythrocyte metabolism, as a result of which the delivery of useful substances to all organs and the circulatory system is disrupted.

Negatively affects the body and its ability to absorb nutrients. medicines, in particular for epilepsy, as well as a number of antibiotics that interfere with absorption.

Consequences of folic acid deficiency for adults and children

And in adults it is the most common disease that develops due to an imbalance of vitamin B9.

Chronic folate deficiency can lead not just to minor disruptions in the body's functioning, but also to serious, life-threatening consequences.

Lack of folic acid during pregnancy has lifelong consequences for the child. During the development of embryos, disturbances in the development of the musculoskeletal system, spine, as well as the nervous system and brain appear. In the future, the child may develop diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, during pregnancy there is a risk of interruption and miscarriage.

With a lack of vitamin B9 in women postpartum period a depressed state manifests itself, they become prone to depression and mental disorders nervous soil.

In adulthood, female representatives experience quite early menopause, and for young girls it’s the other way around - puberty is disrupted and delayed.

In men, infertility is possible due to a lack of folic acid. It affects the quality of sperm, and therefore, during pregnancy planning, married couples must mutually take medications prescribed by a doctor. At poor nutrition and disruption of folate metabolism, not only the structure of sperm is disrupted, but also the number of chromosomes changes. Conception in this case may result in Down syndrome for the child or other hereditary diseases.

In both men and women, the consequences of a deficiency of important components can be memory impairment and impaired mental activity, frequent manifestations of aggressiveness and insomnia.

Those suffering from insufficient amounts of this element are susceptible to heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis. Skin problems appear, hair growth is disrupted, and in some cases hair falls out rapidly.

Restoring the optimal vitamin balance occurs only with long-term and regular use. special drugs prescribed by a doctor. You should not avoid the recommendations of specialists and refuse treatment. Include in your diet as many fresh fruits and green vegetables, carrots and legumes, fish and seafood, dairy products, milk and yogurts as possible.

You need to be especially careful about your health in the autumn-winter period, when fresh and safe products it is impossible to find from the garden beds, and supermarkets offer only goods with large quantity preservatives. Be sure to stock up on berries and fruits without additional heat treatment. For example, berries rolled with sugar and left in the refrigerator for the winter do an excellent job of restoring vitamin balance. Stop drinking alcohol and give preference healthy image life. Why? No matter what you say, this is the best

From an early age, all people know about the importance and usefulness of vitamin compounds for the body. By participating in many biochemical processes, vitamins help a person’s internal nodes function normally and prevent them from malfunctioning for a long period of time. The lack of such substances in the body provokes at first simply unpleasant, but then truly dangerous consequences.

In today's article we will talk about one of the essential vitamins, namely, about or, in scientific terms, a vitamin compound with the designation “B9”. Read more about the functions of this substance, its importance for the body and the causes of deficiency below. We assure you that the information presented will be useful to any person who cares about their health and the health of those close to them.

Folic acid was discovered quite a long time ago. Botanists determined its existence by finding the compound in a green spinach leaf. Over time, the presence of folic acid has been confirmed in the human body. IN official medicine This substance is more often called vitamin B9, but both terms can be used. Such an action is not a mistake.

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin found in many human foods. The substance is not produced in the body, therefore it accumulates only naturally in some of its parts. With poor nutrition or problems with the absorption of folic acid, a person loses the element over time and receives a whole bunch of pathological phenomena. This state of affairs is associated with the importance of B9 for the body.

It has been scientifically proven that this compound has many functions. Thus, folic acid is involved in the processes:

1. production of many
2. hematopoiesis
3. DNA and RNA synthesis
4. development and growth of the body
5. stabilization of flowing internal systems reactions

More information about folic acid deficiency can be found in the video:

An excess of vitamin B9 is completely harmless to humans. The human body is endowed with the necessary mechanisms to normalize the level of the substance and its timely removal naturally. With folic acid deficiency the situation is different. The body does not have nodes for the synthesis of the vitamin, and its importance is great, so a deficiency of B9 is dangerous.

The consequences of a long-term lack of connection are many. For example, in children it provokes a slowdown in development, and in adults it causes genetic abnormalities and pathologies of the hematopoietic system. With this in mind, the level of folic acid in the body should be taken into account highest degree responsibly, monitoring it and promptly identifying and eliminating anomalies. Otherwise, the development of corresponding pathologies will only be a matter of time.

Causes of substance deficiency

Many factors can provoke a lack of folic acid and related problems. Among the main causes of substance deficiency are:

• poor diet
• sharply increased “appetites” of the body for folic acid (for example, in women during pregnancy or during infectious diseases)
• problems with, causing poor absorption of vitamins
• insufficient consumption of foods with proteins, methionines, vitamins and C, which contribute to better absorption AT 9
• alcoholism or drug use
• congenital anomalies associated with the body's inability to take folic acid

As a rule, all people suffering from it can determine the exact cause of vitamin B9 deficiency. Having carefully analyzed his situation, a person can easily identify an ill-fated, problematic factor.

Organism healthy person stores approximately 5-20 milligrams of folic acid. To maintain proper levels of the substance, it is enough to consume at least 1-2 milligrams of B9 daily. The exception is cases with a high need for the body to connect. Thus, pregnant and seriously ill people are advised to “eat” up to 20 milligrams of folic acid daily.

Symptoms of folate deficiency

Vitamin B9 deficiency is detected by. For prevention this diagnostic should be carried out at least once every six months. If you neglect preventive examinations at the clinic, then it is important to carefully monitor your body.

It is advisable to initiate determination of folic acid levels when the following signs appear:

• development of any psychosomatic disorders (general depression, depression, insomnia, etc.)
• chronic fatigue
• decreased performance
• periodic lethargy and weakness
• increase in frequency inflammatory processes in mucous membranes
• development of gastrointestinal problems
• hair loss or fragility
• increased incidence of stomatitis

In addition to the noted symptoms, many serious pathologies of the body indicate folic acid deficiency. Among the main diseases are:

• anemia
• gastroenteritis
• hemorrhagic renal degeneration
• diseases
• any anomalies in terms of growth and development of the body

The considered symptoms and pathologies do not necessarily indicate a deficiency of folic acid, but the fact of the presence of problems when they occur is obvious. Ignoring these phenomena is not only stupid, but also very dangerous. Remember that it is better to identify malfunctions in the body early stages development, since in this case treatment will be simpler and faster. Any slowdown can provoke irreversible consequences in human internal systems. Folic acid deficiency is no exception.

It is a very important component in human body. It is also known as vitamin B9, also called the leaf vitamin because it is found in some plants, such as spinach.

Folic acid does not dissolve in the body and cannot accumulate on its own. In addition, when heat treatment In some products it loses its properties. It is also detrimentally affected by long-term storage outside the refrigerator and Sun rays. The required amount of folic acid is very difficult to obtain from a normal diet, so its reserves are replenished with the help of a special pharmaceutical preparation.

The lack of this component in the body immediately makes itself felt by disturbances in many areas of the body, so urgent treatment is provided. What is folic acid and why is it so necessary for the body?

Why is it needed in the body?

Folic acid, which is a necessary component, can disrupt almost all processes. Main functions in the body:

• Responsible for the level of hemoglobin in the blood, participates in the process of hematopoiesis;
• Provokes the production of protein, an element necessary for the formation of iron;
• Ensures normal metabolism of carbohydrates and fats;
• Promotes cell growth and renewal, is responsible for the regeneration process;
• Provokes the production of serotonin and other hormones responsible for mood and normal functioning of the nervous system;
• Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, improves appetite.

Causes of vitamin B9 deficiency

Deficiency problems may be congenital. This occurs as a result of fetal developmental disorders or under the influence of a genetic factor. But such a process is observed extremely rarely; more often, vitamin B9 deficiency occurs as a result of exposure to certain factors.

The amount of this substance in the body may decrease due to the following conditions:

• Poor nutrition, consumption large quantity semi-finished products, preservatives, refusal to eat greens.
• The process of cooking. If you boil food long time, she loses more than half of her natural properties. Therefore you need to consume a lot fresh products, this applies to vegetables, fruits, berries.
• Alcohol abuse;
• Pregnancy, lactation. At this time, a significant part of folic acid is spent on the growth and development of the fetus, so a severe deficiency is felt. That is why all pregnant women are prescribed a course of taking folic acid tablets for support. normal level. It is impossible to increase the amount of this vitamin during pregnancy with normal nutrition.
• Diseases of the intestinal tract that disrupt the absorption of nutrients.
• Irregularities at work circulatory system, for example, anemia, which disrupts erythrocyte metabolism, while the vitamin is not able to penetrate the blood.
• Taking certain medicines, which disrupt the absorption of nutrients. In particular, some antidepressants and antibiotics.

What are the symptoms of folic acid deficiency?

Since vitamin B9 is involved in many processes in the body, its deficiency signals itself with vivid manifestations. The most common symptoms of folic acid deficiency are:

• Pallor skin, manifestation of various rashes: acne, dark spots, acne;
• Nervousness, irritability, loss of interest in the world around you, apathy;
• Fatigue, loss of performance, decreased activity;
• Problems with memory and attention;
• Sudden weight loss;
• Digestive system disorders.

The deficiency develops very quickly, and the first signals arrive within a week. In a maximum of a month it reaches a critical level. The person feels very bad, begins to get sick, and is constantly in a bad mood.

What are the dangers of folic acid deficiency?

Disorders caused by insufficient levels of folic acid are dangerous for the body and can cause the following conditions:

• Iron deficiency in the body;
• Disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system, in particular the spine in newborns;
• Disturbances in the functioning of the brain and other organs of the nervous system, mental retardation;
• Mental disorders, phobias, apathy, suicide;
• Sexual disorders: women of mature age experience menopause very early, and development is delayed in adolescents;
• Male infertility.

This problem occurs three times more often in women than in men. It is especially worth paying attention to acid levels during pregnancy and taking the necessary medications for prevention.

How does the treatment work?

Treatment for vitamin B9 deficiency occurs in two stages:

• Drug therapy;
• Nutrition control.

The drug treatment method involves taking tablets of the same name “Folic acid” or a drug in the form of injections. Daily dose is, depending on body weight, 100-200 mcg. The course of treatment can last from one to 4 months.

There are no contraindications to the use of such drugs, except for individual intolerance or allergy to folic acid. Can be used by all categories of the population. No cases of overdose were observed. Studies have been carried out by many laboratories, and no reactions occur even with a 40-fold increase in dose.

Side effects are extremely rare and manifest themselves in operational disturbances digestive tract. In most cases, the drug is well tolerated, and the first results are visible after a week of active use.

As for diet, in case of deficiency, you need to eat the following foods: spinach, beans, cabbage, cherries, rowan, brewer's yeast, animal liver and kidneys. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be present in the diet every day. You will have to give up alcohol and foods that take a long time to digest. But you should understand that a diet without taking the drug will not be as effective as possible and will not raise folic acid levels to the desired level.