The term folic acid most often falls in relation to pregnancy or the treatment of anemia. But the truth is that vitamin B9 controls one of the most important cell cycles in the human body. Its deficiency is a simple path to numerous and severe disorders. From this article, you'll learn how folic acid affects the circulatory system, what foods it's found in, and what forms of it can be supplemented.
- What is folic acid?
- Vitamin B9 deficiency
- Importance of folic acid for the circulatory system
- Folic acid is one form of vitamin B9
What is folic acid?
Folic acid(eng. folic acid) is the term for vitamin B9. Folic refers to the Latin folium, a word meaning 'leaf'. This is a reference to the first source from which vitamin B9 was extracted in 1941, the leaves of spinach. Within vitamin B9, several substances can be distinguished, which we collectively call folates. We need these folates in the body mainly as part of the folic acid-methionine cycle. It conditions them to methylate many substances important to us, indirectly participating in the production of nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, proteins, lipids, creatine, neurotransmitters and many other molecules.
Folate is supplied from food, but is also synthesized by intestinal bacteria and adsorbed from the colon. Genes involved in folic acid biosynthesis have been found in the genomes of 512 intestinal microorganisms in the genera Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria.
Vitamin B9 deficiency
Folate deficiency is quite common and results from a deficient diet or impaired absorption, alcohol consumption, obesity or kidney failure. Because of the prevalence of deficiency and the seriousness of the problems it causes, many foods (such as breakfast cereals) have begun to be fortified with folic acid, as a public health measure.
To minimize the risk of deficiency of this vitamin, care should be taken to eat a healthy diet that includes natural sources of folic acid. These are mainly green leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce), broccoli, asparagus, yeast and mushrooms, giblets (liver and kidney), whole grain products, avocados, legumes, tomatoes.
Basically, the sources of this vitamin are many, and the most important rule should be to follow a varied and low-processed diet.
In some cases, additional supplementation with vitamin B9 is needed. These include cases of megaloblastic anemia, or certain neurological disorders. It is also recommended that women of reproductive age routinely take supplements with B9, due to its critical role for fetal development in the event of a possible pregnancy.
Importance of folic acid for the circulatory system
Vitamin B9 is undoubtedly needed for healthy circulation and to maintain proper blood counts. However, let's get to the specifics.
Folic acid and blood cell production
Folate helps in proper blood production. Folic acid deficiency inhibits the synthesis of proteins and nucleotides needed for RNA/DNA synthesis, and this has consequences for rapidly dividing tissues. Thus, a lack of folic acid contributes to the development of megaloblastic anemia. In the treatment of this type of anemia, the standard treatment is a combination of vitamin B9 with B6 and B12.
Folic acid vs. homocysteine
Homocysteine is a very important and practical marker of cardiovascular disease risk. Its excess in the blood suggests problems in the course of the so-called methionine cycle, which overlaps with the folic acid cycle. Homocysteine is a pro-inflammatory factor and its excess ignites inflammation in blood vessels, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, among other things.
Folic acid, when converted in the body to its active form (5-MTHF), donates the methyl group in the remethylation of homocysteine. In simple terms, homocysteine takes a methyl group from vitamin B9 and converts it into methionine. This puts methionine back into circulation and the methylation cycle can continue to turn smoothly.
Folic acid, most often accompanied by vitamins B6 and B12, is a standard therapeutic tool for people with excess homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia). Its supplementation is particularly important in people who have a known polymorphism of the MTHFR gene, which predisposes to higher homocysteine accumulation. In such cases, supplementation with the methylated form of folate is good practice.
In addition, folic acid is involved in the regeneration of tetrahydrobiopterin, which is an essential cofactor in the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a gaseous hormone that relaxes the smooth muscles of blood vessels. As a result, the vessels dilate and blood circulation becomes more efficient.
Folic acid is one form of vitamin B9
Although we usually treat the terms 'folic acid' and 'vitamin B9' as synonyms, this is only a simplification. In fact, within the definition of vitamin B9 you can find several substances, collectively called folates.
Here are brief descriptions of 3 folates that can be found in dietary supplements.
Folic acid - or more specifically, pteroylmonoglutamic acid is a synthetic form of vitamin B9. It is inactive, but very inexpensive. It is sometimes problematic in people with MTHFR gene polymorphism (a common disorder).
Methylfolate - (eng. m_ethylfolate_), or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is a methylated form of vitamin B9. This variant is the active form, which is ready to act in the body. In supplements, methylfolate can be found in forms of glucosamine salts (such as Quatrefolic) or calcium salts. This form is recommended for people with a known polymorphism in the MTHFR gene.
Folinic acid- (eng. folinic acid), or 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, is a niche form sought by people who shy away from the simplest, synthetic form, while not being able to provide excessive amounts of methyl groups. It is also used to offset the toxicity of drugs such as methotrexate.
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