Folic acid – role in the body, recommendations and clinical significance

• Main Authors: Myszczyszyn Aneta, Krajewski Rafał, Ostapów Monika, Hirnle Lidia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2019-03-01
• Series: Pielęgniarstwo XXI Wieku
• Subjects: folic acid; recommendations; birth defects; pregnancy; supplementation
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/pielxxiw-2019-0007

Introduction. Folic acid is a compound classified as B group vitamins. In the body it is subject to processes that transfer its inactive form into a form responsible for biological effects of folic acid, i.e. 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). It is, in particular, responsible for processes of the correct biosynthesis of purine and pyridine bases present in the formation of DNA and RNA molecules. Humans do not synthesize the endogenous form of folic acid; therefore, it is vital to supplement this vitamin in its natural form or multivitamin preparations. The most folic acid is found in the green leafy vegetables (spinach, peas, asparagus) and in offal (liver). An adequate supply of folic acid is especially indicated in pregnant women with a reduced amount of folic acid due to its use by an intensively developing foetus. The recommended dose of folic acid during this period is 0.4 mg/24h and this dose varies depending on the patient’s and her family’s medical history. The updated state of knowledge on the role of vitamin B9 in the body has been presented. The importance of its supplementation in specific clinical cases was analyzed.