The Institute of Medicine in the US states
that adults should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. It is
also known as folate or vitamin B9, and is crucial for our health as it
helps our body make and repair DNA as well as produce red blood cells.
Should you be running low on folate, you may suffer from certain
symptoms and develop anemia, a condition in which your internal organs
can’t get enough oxygen to work properly. Here are a list of common
signs that indicate your body needs more folic acid.
1. Cognitive problems
Folic acid is especially important for your
central nervous system. If your body lacks this vitamin, you may
struggle with depression, have trouble concentrating and may feel
forgetful and irritable. If it is not treated properly, an insufficient
intake of folate may increase the risk of developing serious disorders
including dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Body pains
There is a protein contained in red blood
cells called hemoglobin which is responsible for transporting oxygen
from your lungs to all of your body tissues. When your body is lacking
in folate you don’t have enough red blood cells (and hemoglobin) to
provide your internal organs with the necessary amount of oxygen. This
can cause a feeling of weakness in your muscles, fatigue and numbness in
your hands and feet as, well as painful skin.
4. Shortness of breath
Do you notice yourself getting out of breath when doing things that
you’d normally handle without any issues? This could indicate that your
oxygen levels are low because your body is lacking in red blood cells.
Along with this symptom, you might also experience an increased heart
rate as well as a feeling of dizziness or faintness.
Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea,
vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea after meals may be the first signs
indicating that your body is low in folic acid. In severe cases, you may
also suffer from anorexia which usually leads to significant weight
loss.
6. Mouth sores and tongue swelling
When your folate levels are severely low, you may notice mouth sores and
tongue swelling – two symptoms you shouldn’t neglect. Your tongue may
look swollen, red or shiny particularly around the tip and the edges.
Due to a decrease in red blood cells, you may feel pain when swallowing
or suffer from a sore tongue and stomatitis.
According to some studies, in addition to
mouth sores, deficiency in folic acid may result in having trouble
tasting your food. This happens because your taste receptors, called
papillae, cannot send messages to your brain via your nervous system,
due to the existing tongue problems.
How to treat folate deficiency
The easiest way to resolve folate deficiency is through your diet. Be
sure to eat more dark green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
spinach, and asparagus. As for other foods, it is better to consume
citrus fruits, beans, mushrooms and whole grains on a regular basis.
