A little more than 10 years have passed since the moment when doctors began to recommend women to take vitamin B 9 , or folic acid. Instructions for use include both preventive and therapeutic methods to combat the deficiency of substances in the body of women of reproductive age and pregnant women.
A bit of history
In 1926, the microbiologist Efremov revealed megaloblastic anemia in pregnant women (a specific form of anemia). Through experimental studies, the scientist found that in patients who ate the liver, such problems were observed much less often. This is due to the presence of a special antianemic factor in the product.
In 1932, the British specialist Wils amended the conclusions of Efremov. As it turned out, not all patients manage to cope with megaloblastic anemia by eating the liver. Full recovery occurred only with the use of a crude product extract. That is how the conclusion was made about the existence of folic acid, the instructions for use were developed around the same time.
Vitamin Value
Before you start taking vitamin B 9 , it is worth understanding its purpose. This is why folic acid is needed in the body:
- takes part in cell division;
- normalizes the process of blood formation;
- takes part in the transmission of hereditary traits (DNA formation);
- prepares a woman’s body for conception and bearing a child;
- contributes to the normal course of pregnancy;
- improves memory;
- slows down the aging process of the body;
- promotes the healthy growth of the child's body;
- relieves the unpleasant symptoms of menopause;
- eliminates nervousness and irritability;
- contributes to the normal absorption of iron;
- improves the functional state of the skin;
- reduces hair loss;
- strengthens the nail plate;
- struggling with anemia;
- prevents the formation of blood clots;
- boosts immunity;
- promotes muscle recovery after physical exertion;
- stabilizes the psyche.
The body's need for vitamin B9
The daily dosage of folic acid for prophylactic purposes is 1 mg per day. During pregnancy planning and in the first trimester, the indicator can increase to 2-3 mg. As a rule, specialists resort to this measure if a woman is diagnosed with epilepsy or diabetes mellitus (or direct relatives have such disorders).
During lactation, women are recommended to consume 0.3 mg of vitamin B 9 . This is enough to prevent the lack of folic acid in both the mother and the baby.
Instructions for use in various diseases
Folic acid is important not only for the normal functioning of the reproductive system. This vitamin is also prescribed for the complex treatment of a large number of diseases. Here are the most common medication regimens for various problems:
- Atherosclerosis - for two weeks it is recommended to take 5 mg of vitamin per day. Subsequently, the dosage is reduced to 1 mg per day. As a rule, doctors prescribe folic acid in combination with other B vitamins.
- Aphthous stomatitis - folic acid is prescribed in combination with iron glycinate and cyanocobalamin. The dosage of vitamin B9 and iron, respectively, 5 mg and 10 mg per day. The third element of therapy is injected once a month.
- Viral hepatitis - folic acid is prescribed as an adjuvant. During the first 10 days of treatment, 5 mg of the drug is prescribed per day. After this, the dosage is reduced to preventive - 1 mg per day.
- Gingvinitis and periodontitis - a vitamin is prescribed in a dosage of 1 mg per day. Moreover, within two months, rinsing the oral cavity with a solution of vitamin (1%) is necessary.
- Depressive conditions - 2-5 mg of folic acid is prescribed per day. At the same time, the simultaneous intake of other B vitamins is recommended.
- Osteochondrosis - folic acid in combination with vitamin B 6 is prescribed for the formation of collagen from the salt skeleton. Dosage, respectively, 5 mg and 50 mg per day.
- Large bowel spasm - the first two weeks of treatment you need to take 10 mg of folic acid per day. When positive changes occur, the dosage gradually decreases.
Signs of deficiency
As a rule, a deficiency of one or another vitamin in the body manifests itself in the form of unpleasant alarming symptoms. Folic acid deficiency can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- lethargy and fatigue;
- severe hair loss;
- fragility, layering and deformation of nails;
- anemia;
- exacerbation of symptoms of menopause;
- problematic course of pregnancy.
Causes of deficiency
The benefits of folic acid are hard to overestimate. The importance of vitamin B 9 is also increased because it does not have the ability to accumulate in the body, but is consumed immediately. Therefore, it is imperative to prevent shortages. The lack of this substance in the body may be due to such reasons:
- unbalanced nutrition;
- insufficient amount of plant foods in the diet;
- heat treatment of products (when heated, they lose 50-95% of folic acid);
- taking combined oral contraceptives;
- digestive disorders (for example, problems with the absorption of micronutrients in the intestine);
- taking anticonvulsant drugs;
- dysbiosis;
- alcohol abuse;
- severe liver pathology.
Main indications
Vitamin B 9 is vital for the body. In the instructions for the use of folic acid, the following main indications for its intake are noted:
- infertility;
- the period of preparation for conception;
- pregnancy period;
- lactation;
- menopause;
- anemia;
- arthritis;
- atherosclerosis;
- gastroenteritis;
- migraine;
- schizophrenia;
- weakening of intelligence;
- depressive states.
The Importance of Folic Acid for Pregnant Women
The period of pregnancy is accompanied by serious changes in the body. During this period, vitamin B 9 is especially necessary for a woman. That's what folic acid is for expectant mothers:
- contributes to the normal growth of the embryo;
- contributes to the development of the central nervous system of the child;
- takes part in the formation of blood vessels of the placenta;
- contributes to the formation of the circulatory system of the child;
- prevents the occurrence of neural tube defects;
- protects the expectant mother from viruses and infections;
- reduces the risk of congenital malformations;
- prevents oxygen starvation of the embryo.
Folic Acid in Food
Ideally, part of the folic acid should be synthesized by the body, and part - to come with food. Thus, if you correctly compose a diet, the need to take synthetic vitamins will be reduced. The first thing to do is look for folic acid in foods. Here are some of them that are rich in vitamin B 9 :
- beef;
- chicken offal;
- Brewer's yeast;
- red fish;
- buckwheat porridge;
- legumes;
- oats;
- citrus;
- bananas
- greens;
- White cabbage;
- apricots
- peaches;
- rosehip;
- walnuts;
- dried apricots;
- melon;
- pumpkin;
- beet;
- avocado.
Symptoms of Folic Acid Overdose
Vitamins are useful and safe when they are ingested with food or synthesized by internal organs. But when it becomes necessary to take synthetic drugs, there is a risk of exceeding the norm. The symptoms of folic acid overdose are as follows:
- bitter metallic taste in the mouth;
- nausea and vomiting;
- increased gas formation in the intestine;
- stool disorders;
- nervous irritability and mental disorders;
- skin rashes;
- bronchospasm;
- impaired kidney function.
It is worth noting that a serious overdose is extremely rare. To do this, you need to take the drug at a time in a dosage that is hundreds of times higher than normal. A slight excess of the recommended amount, as a rule, does not lead to serious consequences, since excess vitamin is excreted naturally. If you notice unpleasant symptoms, you should stop taking folic acid and consult a doctor.
To whom vitamin is contraindicated
It would seem that vitamins are extremely useful. But in some cases, the targeted administration of a synthetic drug must be discarded. Instructions for the use of folic acid determine such contraindications to the use of vitamin:
- individual intolerance or sensitivity;
- vitamin B 12 deficiency anemia;
- sucrose deficiency;
- lack of isomalt;
- cyanocobalomin deficiency (taken with caution, under the supervision of a physician);
- fructose intolerance;
- glucose-lactose malabsorption;
- age up to three years.
Popular drugs
If the patient has indications, folic acid is prescribed in the form of a synthetic preparation. Here are the most popular ones:
- Folic acid tablets are available in a dosage of 1 mg. For preventive purposes, as a rule, one tablet is prescribed per day. During pregnancy planning, as well as in the first trimester, the doctor may decide to increase the daily dose to two to three tablets.
- Folacin and Apo-Folica are tablets in which the dosage of folic acid reaches 5 mg. This is much more than the daily norm (even during pregnancy). Therefore, these drugs are prescribed in case of severe forms of vitamin B 9 deficiency.
- Folio is a combination drug. Each tablet contains 400 micrograms of folic acid and 200 micrograms of iodine. This is an excellent prophylactic, but it is not used to treat acute forms of deficiency.
Interaction with other drugs
If you plan to take several drugs at the same time, you should get acquainted with the peculiarities of the compatibility of folic acid with other substances. Here are some things to know:
- The use of cold medications, oral contraceptives, as well as estrogen leads to an increase in the body's need for folic acid.
- Calcium, aluminum, magnesium preparations worsen the digestibility of folic acid.
- Reception of "Methotrexate", "Triamteren", "Pyrimethamine", "Trimethoprim" reduces the effectiveness of folic acid (in this case, it is better to replace it with calcium folinate).
- According to some reports, zinc affects the digestibility of folic acid (but some researchers refute this statement).
Reviews
If you still doubt the benefits of folic acid, pay attention to the reviews of women who took drugs containing this vitamin. Here's what the patients say:
- affordable price;
- helps to get pregnant (both partners need to take the drug);
- facilitates the course of pregnancy;
- helps with postpartum depression;
- after about a month of regular use, menopause symptoms disappear almost completely;
- with constant use increases mental and physical performance.