Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin that takes its name from the Latin word for leaf, folium, because it was first isolated from spinach leaves. Biochemically, folic acid (or folate) functions as a methyl donar after being enzymatically reduced to tetrahydrofolate by the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. This biochemical reaction is the target of a number of chemotherapeutic antimetabolites such as methotrexate that bind to the enzyme and prevent the reduction. Folic acid is found in Brewer's yeast, liver, fruits, leafy vegetables, oranges, rice, soybeans, and wheat. Clinically, folic acid promotes normal red blood cell formation, helps to maintain the central nervous system, and promotes normal growth and development. Recent investigations show that folic acid deficiency may be responsible for neural tube defects, a type of birth defect that results in severe brain or neurological disorders (see Spina Bifida). The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that women of child-bearing age take 0.4 mg of folic acid daily. Women should continue to take that dose through the first three months of pregnancy. The RDA for men is 400 mcg and women is 200 mcg. Folic acid is effective in the treatment of certain anemias and sprue. Dietary sources are organ meats, leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and brewer's yeast. Folic acid is lost in foods stored at room temperature and during cooking. Unlike other water-soluble vitamins, folic acid is stored in the liver and need not be consumed daily. Deficiencies in folic acid cause conditions such as anemia, weakness, lack of energy, paleness, mental confusion, and headaches.
IMPORTANCE:- Necessary for DNA & RNA synthesis, which is essential for the growth and reproduction of all body cells
- essential to the formation of red blood cells by its action on the bone marrow
- aids in amino acid metabolism
- gastrointestinal disorders
- anemia
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
- pre-mature gray hair
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