Pregnancy

Why are folate and folic acid important not only in pregnancy?

There are very important substances, such as folate, to be taken before and during pregnancy.

olates:  compounds naturally present in foods.

Folic acid  (monopteroliglutamic acid or pterolimonoglutamico) is a chemically synthesized molecule found in vitamin supplements and fortified foods.

Folates are found in foods (beans and legumes, green leafy vegetables, liver, brewer’s yeast, citrus fruits and fruit juices, etc…) but only a small part is assimilated by our body.

For this reason, experts recommend supplementation with folic acid  (in capsules or multivitamins) which are almost 100% assimilated by our body.

Folic acid is RECOMMENDED for women attempting to become pregnant to decrease the likelihood of neutral tube defects (NTDs) in the baby.

Neural tube defects are birth defects such as spina bifida, anencephaly and hydrocephalus. These malformations are due to a defect in the formation of the neural tube (fetal spine) in early pregnancy and can cause severe disability or death.

The link between folate deficiency in maternal nutrition and the appearance of these malformations was demonstrated in the early 90s.

Folic acid helps prevent birth defects

Consequently, a daily intake of 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of folic acid is recommended for all women planning a pregnancy.

The advice is to start taking it three months before pregnancy or at least from the moment you decide to have a baby.

Since it usually takes a few months to nab the stork, as soon as you decide you want to become a parent, go to the pharmacy and pick up a supplement or get one prescribed by your doctor. But I always recommend starting to take it a few months before starting the research.

For all unplanned pregnancies, by the time you find out you’re pregnant it’s a little late to start, but better late than never.

Folic acid should be taken at least until the third month of pregnancy .

In fact, folic acid is only important during pregnancy

Heart disease and stroke

A folic acid deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This statement is related to research conducted in 1969 by Kilmer McCully. McCully had noticed that children with a rare disease, homocystinuria , died of heart disease and strokes before they reached 20 years of life.

These children had very high levels of homocysteine ​​in their blood, which McCully suggested was the cause of the vascular problems.

He also hypothesized that even slightly increased homocysteine ​​levels in the blood could increase the risk of heart disease and stroke among the general population.

Subsequent research has shown that folic acid reduces  homocysteine ​​levels in the blood and thus decreases the likelihood of having vascular problems.

Cancer 

A lack of folic acid is linked to a greater probability of the appearance of tumors, especially those of the intestine. Folic acid  is involved in DNA methylation, a process that influences how genes in our cells are turned on (turned on) or turned off (turned off), also determining the rate of cell  division  .

Consequently, in those with a low folate intake, DNA is poorly methylated and genes are activated at the wrong time: there is an  extra production   of proteins that drive uncontrolled  cell division  . Therefore tumors can arise whose consequences are never foreseeable.

In addition to NTDs, heart disease and cancer, folic acid deficiency increases the risk of dementia. Therefore we can say that it is an essential nutrient for our long-term health.

I hope I was convincing enough that you could take folic acid in time!

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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