Folic Acid

Also called: Folacin, Folate, Pteroylglutamic acid, Vitamin B9

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Basics

Summary
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Diagnosis and Tests

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Genetics

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Summary

Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. Getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.

Foods with folic acid in them include:

Leafy green vegetables
Fruits
Dried beans, peas, and nuts
Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products

If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.

NIH: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements

Start Here

About Folic Acid (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Folate (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish
Folate (Folic Acid) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Folic Acid (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Homocysteine Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Vitamin B Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Genetics

Cerebral folate transport deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Hereditary folate malabsorption: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Folic Acid Deficiency (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
March of Dimes Foundation Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Folate deficiency (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Folate-deficiency anemia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Folic acid - test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Folic acid in diet (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

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MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Folic Acid is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

Disclaimers

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