Your Doctor May Recommend You To Take A Folic Acid Test If You Are Showing Symptoms Of Folic Acid Deficiency. Here Is All You Need To Know About This Vital Test. Folic Acidic is also known as Vitamin B9. It is an essential nutrient that we all need for the production of red blood cells in our body.
Folic Acid is especially important for pregnant women as it plays a vital role in the healthy development of the fetus. Folic Acid is needed during the initial weeks of pregnancy, often even before a woman knows she is pregnant. It helps prevent birth defects and also helps with cell and tissue growth. Therefore, getting Folic Acid is critical not only for women who are currently pregnant but also for women planning to become pregnant.
A Folic Acid test as the name signifies is a test that measures the amount of Folic Acid in the blood.
Since Folic Acid is measured in the bloodstream, a Folic Acid test is a blood test that helps to determine if someone has Folic Acid deficiency.
Doctors recommend a Folic Acid test when the patient shows symptoms of a Folic Acid deficiency.
If a person is not consuming enough Folic Acid– either through their Folic Acid foods or through Folic Acid tablets, there is a high possibility of the person developing a Folic Acid deficiency.
While mild Folic Acid deficiency may not trigger any dangerous symptoms, severe Folic Acid deficiency can cause :
For pregnant women, Folic Acid helps form the neural tube during early development. A Folic Acid deficiency can cause some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).
Hera Pro Tip: Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant need extra Folic Acid Food and Folic Acid tablet supplements for their baby..- HERA
Sometimes the doctor may order Folic Acid tests for evaluating anaemia and sometimes for evaluating dementia or any altered mental status.
Often certain medications like birth control pills or dietary supplements such as Biotin may affect the test results. Hence as a first step, speak to your doctor about the medications you are currently taking and if any of them need to be stopped. This includes any Folic Acid tablets that you may be currently taking.
A Folic Acid blood test is done with a blood sample. It is like any routine blood tests where the blood is drawn through a needle from a vein in your arm or hand.
Word Of Caution: Please inform your doctor if you have a bleeding disorder or if you take blood-thinning medications..- HERA
The needle that goes into your vein is attached to a small test tube. You may feel a small sting when the needle enters your vein. The test barely takes a few minutes and the puncture site will be covered with a cotton pad or a bandage. The test is complete when the required amount of blood is collected and the tube is them sealed.
You will need to visit your doctor for a follow-up appointment to go over the results.
Hera Pro Tip: If you feel nervous about the needle or the sight of blood, you can look away, speak to a loved one, or find any other way of distracting yourself. .- HERA
The normal range depends on one’s age.
For most people, a Folic Acid blood test does not have any significant risks, beyond a minor bruise at the puncture site.
In rare cases, the vein may get swollen.
Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid are essential B-complex vitamins that the body needs for several important functions. They help to make red blood cells, white blood cells, repair tissues and cells and help nerve function and iron absorption in the body.
Vitamin B12 helps to absorb Folic Acid in the body. It is important to regularly check Folic Acid levels, as large amounts of Folic Acid in the body may indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency. Research also suggests that high folate levels might mask vitamin B12 deficiency. They can also worsen the anaemia and cognitive symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency.
In Conclusion,
Folic Acid is a vital nutrient for our body. It is important to get your Folic Acid checked regularly as high levels of Folic Acid can point towards vitamin B12 deficiency which can be detrimental to our body.
It is also important for women of reproductive age to check their Folic Acid levels, and a folate deficiency in pregnancy can cause neural tube defects in the baby.
Hera’s Prenatal Essentials with Folic Acid tablets helps protect the baby against birth abnormalities.