Folic acid: benefits and harms of the vitamin, consequences of overdose

Vitamins have firmly entered the life of modern man. Poor nutrition forces you to turn to dietary supplements to fill the deficiency. But uncontrolled use of drugs can lead to hypervitaminosis. Vitamin B9 is an essential component of human health. This substance is recommended for men, women, and children. Pregnant women take it to give birth to a healthy baby. But an overdose of folic acid, although rare, poses a threat to people due to dire consequences.

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The role of vitamin

Folic acid is a water-soluble element that is not produced in the human body. This vitamin takes an active part in intracellular processes, in hematopoiesis in brain structures and DNA restoration. Sometimes treatment with B9 is prescribed when planning pregnancy, since the substance promotes natural conception by improving sperm viability.

From Latin the word “folicum” is translated as “leaf”. A lot of Vitamin B9 is found in spinach leaves. Heat treatment, long-term storage and light deprive the product of this element, and the body begins to experience a shortage of B9.

Positive properties of the vitamin:

• reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders;
• improving the functions of the central nervous system;
• increased activity of the digestive system, brain and liver;
• stimulation and improvement of the immune system;
• accelerating the production of amino acids in the body;
• stabilization of hematopoietic and circulatory functions;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• improving concentration and memory;
• prevention of heart attacks and strokes;
• elimination of cholesterol plaques.

The results of numerous studies prove that B9 has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair, skin and nails. Thanks to it, teenagers' voices become rougher and their height increases.

Now B9 is also used as part of complex therapy for the following diseases:

• sprue tropical;
• lack of B9 caused by an unbalanced diet;
• drug, radiation or megaloblastic anemia;
• intestinal form of tuberculosis;
• chronic gastroenteritis.

In addition, this element minimizes the risk of giving birth to a child with pathologies in early pregnancy. It helps prevent the development of depressive disorder after childbirth in the mother. But it must be taken into account that uncontrolled use of B9 can cause the development of the following conditions:

• convulsive manifestations;
• insomnia;
• tendency to allergies;
• increased irritability due to neurological complications;
• increased likelihood of developing cancer;
• masking Vitamin B12 deficiency in the body, which can cause anemia.

It is difficult to find out what complications a vitamin can lead to if products based on it are used incorrectly. However, in case of any ailments, you should seek help from a clinic, where a thorough diagnosis will be carried out and effective therapy will be prescribed.

Among the contraindications to the use of B9 are:

• bronchial asthma;
• chronic forms of allergies;
• lack of Vitamin B12 in the body;
• severe kidney dysfunction;
• anemia;
• tumors of a malignant or benign nature.

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Reader Questions

Understanding that folic acid is an important substance for the body, people are looking for information that allows them to learn more about a possible overdose, consumption rates, and the benefits when bearing a child.

How much folic acid do pregnant women need?

According to the instructions for the drugs, the maximum amount of vitamin when carrying a child is 400 mg. This norm should be strictly observed, since deficiency already in the first trimester negatively affects the formation of the fetal brain.

Sometimes it is recommended to take up to 600–800 g - this is decided by the attending physician based on the indications. Self-overdose is unacceptable!

What foods contain folic acid?

The highest amounts of B9 are found in leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, kiwi, citrus fruits and strawberries.

Is it possible to replace folic acid tablets with natural products?

It has been proven that drugs are absorbed better. Therefore, even with proper nutrition, it is recommended to take pharmacological agents, after consulting with a doctor.

Causes and signs of overdose

An overdose of folic acid occurs due to its accumulation in tissues or a significant excess of the recommended dose. In this case, the following manifestations may occur:

• increased nervous excitability;
• fever;
• bitter taste in the mouth;
• diarrhea (short term);
• bloating;
• painful sensations in the epigastric region;
• hypotension;
• deterioration of kidney function;
• bronchial spasms;
• itching;
• rashes on the skin.

Severe disorders may be accompanied by convulsions and anaphylactic reactions. With an overdose of B9, a person does not experience goosebumps or a tingling sensation.

Symptoms of excess in the body

Intoxication occurs: nausea, bloating, vomiting, stomach pain;
The nervous system suffers: sleep disorders and excessive excitability appear. An overdose is fraught with an allergic rash accompanied by itching. The worst thing is if the symptoms of intoxication are hidden during pregnancy. Then newborns experience visual problems and metabolic disorders. In the future, asthma, eczema, and hormonal diseases may develop.

Overdose can occur if you consume more than 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Problems with fermentation now occur in every 5 women, and with them, synthetic B9 begins to conflict with natural folines.

Vitamin B9 interaction

When used together with other products, the beneficial qualities of B9 are reduced. A similar effect can result from:

• antibiotics;
• cytostatics;
• painkillers;
• antacids.

In addition, oral contraceptives, glucocorticoids and ascorbic acid contribute to a decrease in the effectiveness of B9.

Experts do not recommend combining the element with alcohol. In such a situation, the risk of cancer increases by 25%. In addition, when combined with alcoholic drinks, the element is poorly absorbed by the liver structures.

Help with poisoning

In case of an overdose of B9, the following measures must be taken:

1. First, you need to rinse the stomach with water or a weak manganese solution with a temperature of no more than 20°C. It is prohibited to use warm formulations for this purpose, because they increase absorption. Average volume of liquid – 3 liters. It is advisable to rinse the stomach in cases where no more than 60-70 minutes have passed since the overdose.
2. After this, you need to clear the esophagus by artificially inducing vomiting.
3. Then you need to use enterosorbent (Enterosgel or activated carbon tablets).
4. In case of an overdose of this substance, you can drink green tea, compote and mineral water without gases.

You should go to the hospital if any signs appear, and if you have symptoms of severe pathology, you should call an ambulance. In case of an overdose of this vitamin element, the consequences are especially dangerous for pregnant women.

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Complications from overdose

In the absence of timely and/or adequate treatment, B9 poisoning can negatively affect health. People at risk include people with weakened immune systems - premature infants with low body weight, the elderly and those infected with HIV.

If the dosage of folic acid is exceeded, the consequences may be as follows:

• Children develop allergies and the risk of bronchial asthma increases;
• with pathologies of the cardiovascular system, attacks of myocardial infarction and angina are possible;
• chronic overdose provokes the development of a megaloblastic form of anemia with accompanying neurological abnormalities.

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An overdose of B9 cannot cause death. Additionally, this condition does not significantly affect the health of the fetus inside the womb. After stopping medications that contain this substance, the patient quickly recovers.

Overdose prevention

To avoid the accumulation of this element in the body, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

1. It is undesirable to use medications for anemia of unknown etiology, because in this case the signs of blood cancer are masked. A malignant tumor can be “triggered” without being detected in time.
2. It should be borne in mind that many medications based on Vitamin B9 contain sugar. Therefore, patients with diabetes mellitus or worsening carbohydrate metabolism are advised to visit a doctor in advance.
3. Elderly patients should take B9 only after testing the substance for absorption by the body.

What does an online consultation with a doctor mean to you? Remember! The diagnosis made by an online doctor must be confirmed during an examination in reality! Only after this can a course of therapy begin. Be healthy!

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Overdose of folic acid when planning pregnancy

Vitamin B9 is necessary for the formation of the nervous system and DNA of the unborn child. In addition, taking medications with folic acid increases the likelihood of conception.

Dosage

When planning pregnancy and during gestation, it is advisable to consume about 400 mcg of the vitamin daily. After childbirth, during lactation, the volume of B9 can be increased to 470-500 mg/day.

At the stage of conceiving a child, it is recommended to consume the vitamin in combination with ascorbic acid 60-80 minutes before meals.

Overdose

It is highly undesirable to neglect the instructions of a medical specialist, because elevated levels of B9 can cause acute poisoning. This condition is rarely observed, because Acid is removed from the body by urination.

However, if you take vitamin-based products for a long time, a concentration of folacin salts occurs in the tissues, which becomes the cause of poisoning.

Signs of Deficiency

A lack of Vitamin B9 in the body is most often observed in winter. This is due to insufficient consumption of fresh plant foods. The condition manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• apathy;
• neuroses;
• increased anxiety;
• constant feeling of fatigue;
• memory loss;
• loss/decreased appetite;
• digestive disorders;
• baldness;
• stomatitis;
• dry skin.

If at least 4 such symptoms are observed, then the medical specialist draws conclusions about a deficiency of folic acid in the body. To avoid complications during fetal development, it is necessary to undergo all diagnostic procedures and a full therapeutic course.

Treatment involves the use of special complexes and preparations based on this vitamin. A deficiency of the element is detected by the results of a blood test - if the content of B9 in the blood plasma is less than 3-17 ng/ml.

Vitamin deficiency most often develops due to chronic infectious diseases, hemolytic anemia, malnutrition, carcinomatosis, leukemia, and with increased need during gestation (2nd trimester).

Sources of folic acid

To prevent Vitamin B9 deficiency, you need to pay attention to the following foods:

At the same time, it is recommended to eat fresh foods, supplementing them with vitamin complexes, because with prolonged storage, the level of B9 in any type of food decreases by 45-50%.

Could there be an oversupply?

Despite all the usefulness of vitamins, you can also “overeat” them. About five years ago it was believed that excess folic acid does not occur in nature, this vitamin is soluble in water, which means it is eliminated from the body quite quickly.

However, it turned out that it is also capable of accumulating. Regularly high doses of vitamin B9 can cause overdose symptoms. Since the natural form is very unstable and is destroyed by light and cooking, we are talking about synthetic vitamin B9.

It has the ability to enter the bloodstream without being converted to folate. A strange picture is observed: the body suffers from a lack of folic acid, and at the same time there is an excess of its synthetic form in the blood.