The folic acid It is a type of vitamin belonging to the B complex that is necessary for the creation of proteins and hemoglobin. Specifically, it is recognized by experts under the name of vitamin B9. It is also characterized by being water-soluble, which means that it dissolves in different types of liquids..
It is an artificial form from folate, which is found in supplements and is also added to fortified foods. It maintains a close relationship with vitamin B12 and a large part of its group, with which it works together, as well as with C.
The amounts of folic acid that are left in our body are expelled through the urine due to the excess that usually accumulates, so it is important to control the amounts we eat to supply our body in the best way.
As a curiosity, it should be noted that its insufficiency in humans is very unusual.
The first important studies on this vitamin took place in the first half of the 20th century, when it was discovered that it was established within the composition of brewer's yeast in 1930.
Folic acid became even more important a year later, in 1931, when scientist Lucy Wills concluded that folate worked as a nutrient that helped prevent anemia during pregnancy..
During the following decade the investigations did not stop and in the early forties it was also possible to extract another food such as spinach so that in 1946 it was synthesized for the first time in history by the Indian Yellapragada Subbarao.
The main functions of vitamin B9 is to help in different organic activities such as facilitating the work of blood cells (red blood cells), forming them and helping the growth of tissues. In the same way, it also acts as a coenzyme in the process of transferring monocarbon groups..
Participates within the functions of DNA, RNA and protein metabolism, intervening in the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines.
It also works as a powerful defender against different anomalies and problems, especially those that occur during pregnancy such as spina bifida..
A curious fact is that exceeding its intake causes our appetite to increase considerably in the long run, which also stimulates the formation of digestive acids.
- Green vegetables: Here the variety is served, being the main source of obtaining, among which we find from spinach and endive to peas or dried beans.
- meats: It is observed in such as beef, pork or goat among many others.
- Fortified cereals: Nuts and sunflower seeds are great sources of the vitamin belonging to group B.
- Vegetables: Among the legumes that provide folacin we can find foods such as chickpea or lentils.
The daily doses of vitamin B9 recommended by the Institute of Medicine and the United States Department of Agriculture vary according to age:
- From 1 to 3 years, the ideal is 150 a day
- From 4 to 8 years, the intake should be increased by 50 more until reaching 200
- 9 to 13 would be 300
- From the age of 14 onwards, up to 400 micrograms should be consumed
- The exception is marked by women who are in periods of pregnancy, where they should consume up to a total of 500 and 600 respectively.
In addition, if you take a look below you can see a list that we have provided with the type of food, the amount and the folic acid that are concentrated in its composition:
Finally, on some occasions we can fall into a depression or feel irritated or excited at times..
Different studies have confirmed that women who ingest 0.4 milligrams per day of folic acid during the first months of pregnancy and in the moments before giving birth decrease by 70% the chances that the child will be born with different related congenital problems with the brain and with the spinal cord.
The alterations are usually generated during the first month of pregnancy. It is advisable that women of childbearing age regularly ingest vitamin B9.
Next we are going to show you a series of problems related to pregnancy that can occur if we do not have the adequate amount of folic acid in the body. Among the most common related to the neural tube we find three types:
The role of folic acid in cancer has been studied for years. We are talking about a relationship that has been going on for years in science and which still has many more years to go.
As we've mentioned above, folate helps prevent different types of cancer. This is due to the fact that the vitamin intervenes directly on DNA, in its synthesis, operation, and of course repair. Therefore, an incorrect diet, either due to excess or lack of vitamin B9 can lead to the contraction of the disease..
Diets with high doses of folic acid have been shown to be linked to colon cancer and its chances of developing. In addition, the effect is multiplied when used in natural foods and not in supplements. This was proven in 2007 when a clinical trial concluded that supplements did not reduce the risk of collecting colectoral adenomas..
Another study carried out in tests that studied the relationship of cancer with folic acid resulted in results that said that in addition to colon cancer, the vitamin also affected breast and pancreatic cancer, being contrary to the previous disease, it affected toxic when ingested in a common way.
Therefore, it would not be beneficial to consume excess vitamin B9 if you want to avoid the creation of cancer cells related to the breast and pancreas..
Now, there is a term of great importance within the world of this vitamin. We are referring to the antifolate methotrexate, which is a drug that is often used to treat cancer. But, as indicated in the different studies, methotrexate becomes toxic on many occasions, producing various side effects such as inflammation of the digestive tract, making it difficult to eat regularly..
But how does all this relate to folic acid? Folic acid comes into play when it comes to coping with and reversing the effect that antifolate produces when it begins to be toxic.
Methotrexate can be used to combat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, asthma, sarcoidosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and various inflammatory diseases. All this always ingesting it when necessary and in minimal quantities.
It is for all this reason that carrying out diets rich in folic acid will reduce the negative effects of methotrexate and prevent the toxicity levels in our body from increasing..
- Foods that contain high doses of folic acid should be eaten raw. In case of not being able to carry out this practice, if you do not want to lose the properties, it should be cooked briefly in steam and later stored in the refrigerator.
- It would be ideal to accompany the intake of vitamin B9 with other variants such as B1, B2 and B3 since this makes it easier to carry out the process of natural metabolism of folic acid. It is above all about making complete and varied combinations.
- In the same way that it is combined with vitamins belonging to group B, it is also convenient to add vitamin C, which allows folic acid to be activated more quickly and works more optimally..
- Avoid consuming folic acid in the form of supplements, since as we have mentioned, that lowers in large percentages the original natural amounts that any food would contain.
- In addition to the foods mentioned above, dried tomatoes and freshly squeezed orange juice are great sources of folic acid..
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