According to the US Institute of Medicine, adults should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid per day. This substance, known as folic acid or vitamin B9, is essential for our health because it helps the body produce red blood cells.
Folic acid is known to be important for a healthy pregnancy. Certain vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, have been shown to have a positive effect on the health of the developing baby during pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency can affect the improper closure of the fetal neural tube, which represents the beginning of the fetal nervous system.
This is as it says Gloria, a list of the most common signs that your body needs more folic acid.
Cognitive problems
Folic acid is extremely important for your central nervous system. If your body does not have enough of this vitamin, you may have trouble concentrating and be forgetful and irritable. If not treated properly, folic acid deficiency can increase the risk of developing serious disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Body aches
In severe cases of folic acid deficiency anemia, your brain receives less oxygen than it should, which can cause headaches. You may also feel pain in other parts of the body, especially in the chest and legs.
Pale skin
Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues of your body. When your body lacks vitamin B9, you don't have enough red blood cells (and hemoglobin) to supply your internal organs with the amount of oxygen they need. This can lead to feelings of muscle weakness, fatigue, numbness in the hands and feet, and pale skin.
Shortness of breath
Along with this symptom, you may also experience an increased heart rate and a feeling of dizziness or even fainting.
Digestive problems
Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea after eating can be the first sign that your body needs folic acid. In addition, in severe cases, you may also suffer from anorexia which usually leads to significant weight loss.
Mouth sores and swelling of the tongue
These symptoms usually appear when folic acid deficiency is really severe, so you should not ignore them. Your tongue may look swollen, red or shiny, usually around the tip and edges at first. Due to the decrease in red blood cells, you may also experience pain when swallowing or suffer from a sore tongue and stomatitis.
Some of the foods rich in folate are: eggs, legumes, citrus fruits, beets, leafy vegetables, broccoli, nuts, beef liver, bananas, cereals
Bonus video:
