Vitamin B9, or folate, is an essential nutrient for many functions in the body, such as helping to form the baby’s nervous system, preventing anemia, maintaining brain health and preventing cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.
This vitamin can be found in various foods, such as spinach, beef liver, asparagus, beans and cashew nuts. In addition, vitamin B9 is also found in the form of folic acid, in supplements, which can be indicated for the treatment of anemia and to avoid the risk of malformations in the baby during pregnancy.
A lack of vitamin B9 in the body can cause symptoms such as headache, hair loss and diarrhea. Furthermore, vitamin B9 deficiency in pregnant women can cause problems such as premature birth, high blood pressure or miscarriage.
What is it for
Vitamin B9 performs the following functions in the body:
1. Maintains brain health
Vitamin B9 maintains brain health by participating in the formation of neurons and neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which help improve memory and concentration, thus helping to avoid problems such as depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s.
2. Helps to form the baby’s nervous system
Vitamin B9 acts in the formation of the baby’s nervous system, promoting adequate growth and development and preventing malformations, such as spina bifida, cleft palate and cleft lip, a condition where the lips have a division that can reach the nose.
3. Avoid anemia
Normal levels of B9 in the body help prevent anemia, because this nutrient acts in the formation of red blood cells, or red blood cells, whose function is to transport oxygen throughout the body and which, when reduced, indicate the presence of anemia.
4. Maintains skin health
As it is one of those responsible for the growth and maintenance of skin cells, vitamin B9 helps maintain skin health, preventing inflammation and being able to prevent the emergence of situations such as premature aging and acne, for example.
5. Participates in amino acid metabolism
Vitamin B9, together with vitamin B12 and vitamin C, participates in the metabolism of several amino acids, helping in the absorption, use and formation of new proteins in the body.
6. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
Vitamin B9 reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, because it can reduce the levels of homocysteine in the body, an amino acid that, at high levels, is related to the emergence of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, thrombosis or heart attack, for example.
7. Prevents the emergence of some types of cancer
Adequate levels of vitamin B9 in the body can help prevent the emergence of some types of cancer, such as colorectal, breast and prostate. This is because vitamin B9 acts in the formation of DNA and RNA, and in the expression of genes.
However, more studies with humans are needed to prove the benefits of vitamin B9 in preventing cancer.
Foods rich in vitamin B9
The main foods rich in vitamin B9 are:
- Almonds;
- Bean;
- Beef liver;
- Beet;
- Spinach;
- Sunflower seeds.
Additionally, other foods with good amounts of vitamin B9, or folic acid, include oranges, brewer’s yeast, asparagus, chicken liver. Check out more about foods rich in folic acid.
Recommended daily amount
The recommended daily amount of vitamin B9 varies according to age and life stages, as shown in the following table:
Additionally, during pregnancy, the daily recommendation for vitamin B9 is 600 mcg. During the breastfeeding period, the recommended amount of vitamin B9 for women is 500 mcg.
Vitamin B9 deficiency
A lack, or deficiency, of vitamin B9 can arise in situations such as low dietary intake, problems that reduce the absorption of this vitamin, such as regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel diseases, or due to increased needs for this vitamin, as happens during pregnancy.
The main symptoms of vitamin B9 deficiency are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth ulcers and hair loss. Deficiency of this vitamin for long periods can cause megaloblastic anemia, causing symptoms such as excessive tiredness, muscle pain and paleness. Know all the symptoms of megaloblastic anemia.
Vitamin B9 deficiency is also related to problems during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, miscarriage and premature birth. In babies, vitamin deficiency can cause malformations, such as spina bifida, cleft palate and cleft lip.
Excess vitamin B9
Although it is rare, consuming supplements or foods fortified with vitamin B9, above 1000 mcg per day, can cause the following symptoms:
- Hyperactivity;
- Loss of appetite;
- Nausea;
- Swollen belly.
Furthermore, excess vitamin B9 can also cause allergic reactions in people who are hypersensitive to this vitamin, including symptoms such as fever, itchy skin and difficulty breathing.
When to use supplements
Vitamin B9 supplement, in the form of folic acid, is recommended by the doctor for women who are planning to become pregnant or for those who are already pregnant. Furthermore, this supplement is also recommended for the treatment of megaloblastic anemia and macrocytic anemia.
This supplement is found in the form of tablets, alone or together with other vitamins, where the recommended dosage varies depending on the objectives to be treated. However, the recommended dose of oral folic acid supplement for adults can vary between 1 and 5 mcg per day. Learn more about folic acid supplements.
