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Why Vitamin B9 (or Folic Acid) Is Important For Your Health

 

 

Role of Vitamin B9 or Folic Acid

Folic acid is one of the vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex. Also known as folacin and folate, this essential nutrient serves the body in many ways. While important for all age groups, folic acid is especially necessary to pregnant women. In fact, when my wife told me she was pregnant 2 years ago, the first thing I did, apart from jump over the moon, was to go and by a folic acid supplement.

Not only is folic acid especially important to pregnant women, it is also important to people who are getting on in years. Older people may require that extra intake of B9 to get sufficient for their needs in old age. However, despite all the known benefits of folic acid, many people fail to meet the recommended daily intake levels, which can have some real negative effects on their health.

Folic acid is important from the moment of birth. For women, however, it takes on special significance during child bearing years, so if a couple is even considering having a baby, the woman should immediately begin to monitor her folic acid consumption, to ensure that she meets the suggested daily intake requirements. Nowadays, most health care professionals recommend that every woman of childbearing age should make sufficient folic acid consumption a nutritional priority. The reason for this is because this nutrient is vital to the development of the baby from the moment of conception.

Folic acid can help to prevent serious birth defects in the brain and spine, called neural tube defects. Spinal Bifida is one of the more well known of these defects. These types of defects usually occur within the first few weeks of development, which means they happen before most women even realize they are pregnant. Folic acid deficiency seems to be a major contributor to birth defects here in the Philippines, where malnutrition is common, and birth difficulties disturbingly high.

Folic acid has other important functions in the human body. These include, in addition to assisting in the formation of genetic material in each and every cell of the body, the formation of red blood cells essential to transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and tissue growth. Vitamin B9, according to recent research, has been associated with such health benefits as protection against such debilitating diseases as Alzheimer’s disease, some cancers and heart diseases. It is also thought to offer a certain degree of protection from strokes.

Health Problems Caused By a Folic Acid Deficiency 

Deficiencies in folic acid can be the cause of a wide range of health problems. Among them are peptic ulcers, ulcerations in the mouth, inflammation of the tongue, and chronic diarrhea. Folic acid deficiency can also contribute to certain kinds of anaemia. 

Folic acid is a water soluble nutrient This means it will flow out of the body with the urine, and the body’s suppy needs to be replenished daily. Because of its great importance in the reproductive system and the protections it offers, as well as its role in other essential bodily functions, it is a good idea to consider taking dietary supplements to ensure that the recommended daily intake levels are met. Due to the potential birth defect problems, which can be of a serious and debilitating nature, it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to folic acid daily intake levels.

When choosing a dietary supplement, it is always important to read and understand the label. That will help you to ensure that you are getting the daily requirements for the nutrients you seek. For example, a prenatal vitamin will focus on different nutrients and levels of intake than a general, all-purpose daily multi-vitamin.

When you are planning your use of food supplements, you should make an honest assessment of your eating habits. That way, you can select individual supplements that match your individual dietary needs and health goals, and avoid getting too much of some and too little of others. It is worth visiting the Nutrition Pyramid website maintained by the USDA

So much of good health is planning and maintaining a diet which ensures the daily consumption of proper nutrients. Folic acid supplements can offer a safe and sure means of meeting the body’s daily requirements of this essential and protective nutrient, also known as Vitamin B9.