Understanding Folate Deficiency Symptoms
Folate or B12 deficiency can lead to anemia. Vitamin B helps the body to produce new cells. Folate helps to create red blood cells, and these cells are very important in carrying oxygen throughout the body. When your body does not have enough red blood cells, you develop anemia with primary symptoms, weakness and fatigue.
This is what makes getting enough folate each day very important. Some people think that taking folic acid supplements will give them the same benefit, but methylfolate is the active nutrient they require.
What Happens When You Have Folate Deficiency?
When you have Folate deficiency, your medical history plays an important role in revealing the underlying cause of this deficiency. The lack of folate and, thus, the inability to form red blood cells adequately makes your body weak and tired since the oxygen supply is not sufficient. A deficiency most often happens when your diet lacks foods that are rich in folate.
Patients with folate deficiency often complain about a sore tongue or painful swallowing. Some common folate deficiency symptoms include headaches, irritability, lethargy, weakness, behavioral disorders, and heart palpitations. People with anemia can also have a loss of appetite and weight loss (1).
Moreover, folate deficiency is associated with several congenital malformations, such as neural tube defects (NTDs), congenital heart defects, orofacial clefts, pregnancy-related complications, increased risk of autism spectrum disorders, cardiovascular diseases, various psychiatric diseases, and cancer.
Also Read: MTHFR Genotyping and Treatment
Understanding Blood to Comprehend Folate Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the main reasons for anemia, and the key relies on your understanding of how this system works. Blood is made of plasma, and it contains red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and proteins. The red blood cells transport oxygen around your body while the white blood cells protect your body from infection, and the platelets help your blood to clot.
Red blood cells contain a component called hemoglobin that binds oxygen to the blood, allowing the oxygen to be carried to all parts of your body – most importantly, to the heart and the brain. You need this oxygen in order to function optimally throughout the day, and if you lack it, you will feel tired, less alert, and dizzy.
What Symptoms are Associated with Folate Deficiency?
- headaches
- heart palpitations
- tinnitus
- paleness
- numbness
- depression
- fatigue
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- irritability
- lethargy
In order to produce red blood cells and hemoglobin, you need to have healthy bone marrow, enough iron, vitamins, and L-methyl folate supplementation. If your body lacks folate, you will have fewer red blood cells and low hemoglobin levels. Depending on the extent of deficiency, symptoms can range from just feeling tired and drained of energy to feeling breathless or even fainting.
If you feel the symptoms mentioned above, it is extremely important that you have your health checked at the nearest hospital. The most appropriate treatment is a daily dietary intake of folate supplements so that your body starts getting enough absorbable folate and can produce sufficient red blood cells.
Methylfolate crosses the blood-brain barrier and is a cofactor required for the complete synthesis of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain.
Moreover, if you have certain genetic variations affecting folate metabolism, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or have a medical condition that requires high doses of folate supplementation, you may consider taking methyl folate. It will also help increase plasma folate levels, especially in pregnant women.
