Diseases

Folic Acid Deficiency – Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Folic acid deficiency

Folic acid is ingested through food and plays a crucial role in many processes in the human body. A lack of folic acid has a correspondingly strong effect on our health. However, nobody has to suffer from such a deficiency in our latitudes – there are enough foods with which one can effectively prevent or combat folic acid deficiency and supply folic acid .

What is folic acid deficiency?

If you suffer from a folic acid deficiency, your organism does not have enough of this vital vitamin to be able to work optimally. Folic acid is particularly known as the “pregnancy vitamin” because folic acid is needed to form DNA .

Of course, this is particularly important in the course of and especially in the early stages of pregnancy . But folic acid is also simply necessary for cell division. Cell division is one of the most important processes in life. Blood cells and mucous membrane cells, i.e. cells that divide particularly often, show a lack of folic acid at a particularly early stage.

For example, folic acid deficiency can lead to anemia . The human folic acid store is the liver. If this store is exhausted, the lack of folic acid becomes noticeable.

causes

Anyone who takes in too little folic acid with food and does not take any supplementary vitamin supplements runs the risk of a folic acid deficiency. The liver can store a lot of folic acid, but if not enough is supplied, then this depot will eventually be exhausted.

However, this does not have to happen at all, because folic acid is contained in many different foods. Of course, not eating enough of these foods, such as green vegetables, can also lead to deficiency symptoms. Pregnancy is the most common reason for a deficiency. Pregnant women have an enormously increased need for folic acid.

So it’s no wonder that people in this country are advised not only to take additional folic acid if they are already pregnant, but also if they just want to have children. However, not only pregnancy leads to a folic acid deficiency, excessive consumption of alcohol , smoking or taking various medications can also plunder the body’s folic acid stores and lead to a deficiency.

Symptoms, Ailments & Signs

A folic acid deficiency mainly leads to anemia with pronounced performance weakness and fatigue . Since not only the production of red blood cells, but also that of leukocytes (white blood cells) and thrombocytes is impaired, there is also an increased susceptibility to infection and an increased tendency to bleed. In addition to fatigue , the anemia also manifests itself through difficulty concentrating , striking paleness and a reddened and inflamed tongue.

In severe cases, there are even cardiac arrhythmias and breathing difficulties because the body can no longer be properly supplied with oxygen due to the lack of red blood cells. Due to the increased susceptibility to infection, there is a risk of serious infections. At the same time, the increased tendency to bleed often leads to mucosal bleeding, bruising and pinpoint bleeding in the skin.

Other symptoms include loss of appetite and severe weight loss . Pregnancies can lead to an increased number of miscarriages and miscarriages with neural tube defects (open spine). The nervous system is also affected by folic acid deficiency . In addition to anemia, adults sometimes experience mental deterioration, a lack of concentration and memory gaps, all the way to dementia .

Furthermore, the susceptibility to stress is increased and sometimes nerve pain occurs. In children, a folic acid deficiency manifests itself through severe physical and mental development disorders due to impaired cell division. In addition to neural tube defects (open spine), the development of the brain and skull can also be disturbed.

Diagnosis & History

If a folic acid deficiency has been determined, a preparation is usually prescribed that quickly supplies the body with a sufficient amount of the vital vitamin. A quick reaction is also necessary, because since the symptoms are not very specific, the deficiency is usually recognized late.

Loss of performance, a general feeling of being sluggish, constant tiredness and lack of concentration could match many clinical pictures. Only when the storage is really empty and the anemia becomes noticeable with weight loss , cardiac arrhythmias and similar symptoms, the deficiency symptoms are usually discovered.

In most cases, sufficient folic acid can no longer be supplied quickly enough through food, so that concentrated preparations are required. A daily dose of 5 to 15 milligrams of folic acid applies – at least at the beginning of treatment – as a guideline.

complications

A folic acid deficiency that lasts for several weeks can lead to a regression of the mucous membranes, which in turn can result in inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth, in the gastrointestinal tract and also in the uro-genital tract. Wounds and injuries to the mucous membranes heal more slowly. It can lead to a lack of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) and anemia, including a rare form of anemia in this country, megaloblastic anemia.

Other symptoms caused by folic acid deficiency include diarrhea, nausea, weight loss and inflammation of the tongue (glossitis). Other possible complications include hair loss, skin problems and depressive moods. Folic acid deficiency also increases the homocysteine ​​level in the blood.

Homocysteine ​​can attack the blood vessel walls, which can cause oxidized LDL cholesterol to be deposited there more quickly. In the long term, this leads to narrowing of the blood vessels and arteriosclerosis. This in turn represents a significant risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

In unborn children, a folic acid deficiency in the pregnant mother can lead to severe deformities in the embryo. These abnormalities include neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly (missing parts of the skullcap, meninges, scalp and brain). In addition, folic acid deficiency can increase the risk of premature birth or miscarriage.

When should you go to the doctor?

If you are chronically tired, have difficulty concentrating and are pale, you may have a folic acid deficiency. A doctor’s visit is recommended if the symptoms do not go away on their own within three to five days or if other symptoms develop. If symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath or dizziness occur even with light physical exertion, a doctor should be consulted within the next few days. Diarrhea, persistent breathing difficulties and cardiovascular problems that severely impair well-being are best clarified immediately.

If there is a folic acid deficiency, it must be treated in any case. Otherwise, the deficiency can become severe and possibly lead to memory loss, neurological deficits or even a heart attack. Children, the elderly and the sick are particularly at risk. Allergy sufferers and patients with a congenital immune deficiency or a hormone imbalance should also speak to their family doctor if they have the symptoms mentioned. Other contacts are internists and specialists for the respective symptom. In the event of a medical emergency, the emergency services must be alerted.

Treatment & Prevention

If you eat a balanced diet, you basically don’t need to fear a folic acid deficiency. Many foods contain enough of the vital vitamin to provide the human organism with sufficient nutrients. Green vegetables are especially recommended.

Green leafy vegetables and lettuce in particular, but also cabbage and asparagus contain plenty of it. The same applies to almonds and legumes, but also to egg yolk and liver. Since folic acid is found in many different food groups, including whole grain products, for example, vegetarians and vegans are just as capable of consuming enough folic acid with their food as omnivorous eaters. If you consume these foods – green vegetables, whole grains, eggs, etc. – you automatically get a lot of folic acid.

People with an increased need – such as pregnant women – are always well advised to take an additional supplement. However, it should be borne in mind that an occasional or daily pill can by no means replace a healthy diet, but can only supplement it – this is no different with folic acid.

aftercare

In most cases, a folic acid deficiency cannot be treated with follow-up measures. The patient is primarily dependent on direct medical treatment of this disease to prevent further complications. In most cases, there is even lifelong therapy, since the folic acid deficiency cannot be treated from the ground up.

The affected person is usually dependent on the intake of certain foods or supplements to counteract this deficiency. Special complications or other measures are usually not necessary. It is important to ensure that these medications or foods are taken regularly in order to limit the folic acid deficiency.

Regular check-ups with a doctor are also very useful. In pregnant women, special measures are necessary in the event of a folic acid deficiency so that the development of the child is not impaired by this deficiency. First and foremost, a doctor should be consulted who can treat the folic acid deficiency properly.

Regular check-ups are also very useful here. Further measures are usually not necessary to treat this disease. The life expectancy of the affected person is not reduced as a result.

Outlook & Forecast

Normally, the prognosis for a folic acid deficiency is favorable. The deficiency can be reduced within a few days and weeks by changing and optimizing your diet. A freedom from symptoms is usually achieved within the next few months. In the case of a severe deficiency, the organism can be additionally supported by the administration of medication, especially in the initial phase of treatment. If there is a relapse in the course of life and the folic acid deficiency occurs again, the prognosis is also favorable.

People who smoke or consume excessive amounts of alcohol should make systematic lifestyle changes to improve their health. The folic acid store in these patients decreases continuously over the course of several years until a deficiency symptom occurs. As soon as the affected person stops taking the pollutants and is willing to eat a healthy and balanced diet, their state of health improves.

The prognosis for pregnant women in the initial stages of gestation is particularly unfavorable. A severe folic acid deficiency can lead to malformations in the embryo, premature birth or miscarriage. The deformities cannot be corrected in the further course of development. Due to the abnormalities or the loss of the child, the expectant mother is more likely to suffer from a subsequent mental illness. This contributes to a significant deterioration in the general sense of health.

You can do that yourself

If there is a suspicion of a folic acid deficiency, a blood test should be ordered from the doctor treating you. If this deficiency is confirmed, dietary supplements will help to provide folic acid in high concentrations. Compensating for the deficiency with the help of food would take too much time and could lead to aggravation of the symptoms.

For the further course of treatment, however, a conscious diet with foods rich in folic acid is recommended. These include a wide variety of leafy vegetables and types of cabbage, and asparagus is also rich in folic acid. Other suppliers of folic acid are whole grain products and chicken eggs , as well as almonds , liver and legumes. Aubergines and all herbs also provide the body with the important folic acid. Basically, all green vegetables are very rich in folic acid.

Ideally, these are only steamed before consumption in order to preserve the high content of vital substances. Between 75 and 100 percent of the important vitamin is lost through cooking and frying. Severe chopping also reduces the folic acid content. It is advisable to consume herbs and vegetables in raw form throughout the day.

With a consistently balanced diet, the risk of a persistent folic acid deficiency is minimal. Vegetarians and vegans can also meet their needs very well with a plant-based diet. Pregnant women have an increased need and should use a folic acid supplement during this time.

Lisa Newlon
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Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.