Folate
Vitamin B9; nutrient essential for DNA synthesis / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin,[6] is one of the B vitamins.[3] Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and storage.[7] Folate is required for the body to make DNA and RNA and metabolise amino acids necessary for cell division and maturation of blood cells.[1][8] As the human body cannot make folate, it is required in the diet, making it an essential nutrient.[9] It occurs naturally in many foods.[6][1] The recommended adult daily intake of folate in the U.S. is 400 micrograms from foods or dietary supplements.[1]
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Pronunciation | /ˈfoʊlɪk, ˈfɒlɪk/ |
Trade names | Folicet, Folvite |
Other names | Wills factor, FA, N-(4-{[(2-amino-4-oxo-1,4-dihydropteridin-6-yl)methyl]amino}benzoyl)-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, folacin, vitamin B9;[1] formerly, vitamin Bc and vitamin M[2] |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a682591 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous |
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Bioavailability | 50–100%[3] |
Metabolism | Liver[3] |
Excretion | Urine[3] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.381 |
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Formula | C19H19N7O6 |
Molar mass | 441.404 g·mol−1 |
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Density | 1.6±0.1 g/cm3 [5] |
Melting point | 250 °C (482 °F) (decomposition) |
Solubility in water | 1.6mg/L (25 °C) |
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Folate in the form of folic acid is used to treat anemia caused by folate deficiency.[3] Folic acid is also used as a supplement by women during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) in the baby.[3][10] Low levels in early pregnancy are believed to be the cause of more than half of babies born with NTDs.[1] More than 80 countries use either mandatory or voluntary fortification of certain foods with folic acid as a measure to decrease the rate of NTDs.[11] Long-term supplementation with relatively large amounts of folic acid is associated with a small reduction in the risk of stroke[12] and an increased risk of prostate cancer.[13] There are concerns that large amounts of supplemental folic acid can hide vitamin B12 deficiency.[1]
Not consuming enough folate can lead to folate deficiency.[1] This may result in a type of anemia in which red blood cells become abnormally large.[1] Symptoms may include feeling tired, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, open sores on the tongue, and changes in the color of the skin or hair.[1] Folate deficiency in children may develop within a month of poor dietary intake.[14] In adults, normal total body folate is between 10 and 30 mg with about half of this amount is stored in the liver and the remainder in blood and body tissues.[1] In plasma, the natural folate range is 150 to 450 nM.[15]
Folate was discovered between 1931 and 1943.[16] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[17] In 2021, it was the 77th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 8 million prescriptions.[18][19] The term "folic" is from the Latin word folium (which means leaf) because it was found in dark-green leafy vegetables.[20]