Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)

Folic acid helps your body produce and maintain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to disease issues. As a supplement, folic acid is used to treat folic acid deficiency and certain types of anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency.

Folic acid or vitamin B9 belongs to the family of water-soluble vitamins and it is essential to include this vitamin in your diet plan. The human body is capable of preparing this vital vitamin and it is then stored in the liver. Daily requirements of the human body utilize a part of this stored vitamin and surplus amount is released out of the body through excretion. It performs the most vital functions of the body, including everything from RBC formation to energy production.

The National Institutes of Health say that in order to make your diet rich in vitamin B9 or folic acid, you should include food items like green vegetables, cheese, and mushrooms. Beans, legumes, brewer’s yeast, and cauliflower are some rich sources of folic acid. Oranges, bananas, peas, brown rice, and lentils can also be included in this list.

Folic acid can ensure healthy fetal development and healthier pregnancy. As stated previously, B9 plays a vital role in cell growth, and that is no different for developing embryos. Low B9 levels in pregnant women may cause fetal abnormalities and medical conditions present at births such as spina bifida (incomplete closing of the spine) and anencephaly (large part of the skull absent). Studies have shown that when taken throughout pregnancy, it has lengthened gestational age (period of pregnancy) and increased birth weight, as well as lowered the rate of preterm labor in women.

It is common for doctors to prescribe pregnant women a multivitamin containing folic acid or even folic acid alone to take during their pregnancy because of its immense benefits and positive impact on fertility.

Folic acid is considered to be a muscle building component since it helps in the growth and maintenance of muscle tissues.

Folic acid is helpful in treating various mental and emotional disorders. For instance, it is useful in relieving anxiety and depression, which are two of the most common mental health problems suffered by people in the modern world.