Whether you are pregnant or trying to conceive, the first thing that your gynaecologist will suggest is to consume folic acid a folic acid tablet every day. Have you ever wondered why? Well! Folic acid is one of the most important vitamins that a woman’s body needs to keep her foetus safe and prepare her womb for carrying a baby.
What is folic acid?
Folic acid is also termed as Folate/ vitamin B₉/ folacin and is one of the family members of the B vitamins group. When we consume folic acid tablets it gets converted into folate by our body. It is a water-soluble vitamin and helps in the development of the human body. Folic acid is not produced within the human body all by itself and therefore we need to consume foods or supplements that are rich in the same.
Folate is found naturally in a lot of food items such as legumes, avocados, asparagus, bananas, melons, lemons, spinach, broccoli, sunflower seeds, okra and lettuce. Nowadays a lot of food items are also fortified using folic acid and you can easily find them in cereals, cookies, pasta, bakery items, etc. However, you should check out the labels of these fortified foods to know whether the particular brand you are buying contains folate or not.
Some of the best folic acid supplements that you can find in the market include Natures Velvet folic acid,
INLIFE Iron + Folic Acid, INLIFE Folic acid, Biotrex Folic Acid, GNC Folic Acid and Purayati Folic Acid and Iron.
Why is folic acid essential for women?
A good amount of folate in the body of a woman helps in preventing any kinds of neural birth defects related to the baby’s brain or spine. The birth defect that is caused because of deficiency of folate is called neural tube defects or NTDs. Neural tube defects are usually formed during the first week of conceiving and that is why gynaecologists or obstetricians always prescribed folic acid tablets even before a woman starts family planning. Other than this folic acid also helps in enhancing the formation of red blood cells in the body, improving metabolism, and reducing depression.
How to consume folic acids?
One can consume folic acid capsules/ tablets with or without food. Take the tablets whole with a glass of water. If you are taking the folic acid in liquid form, then measure the right dosage of the same with a plastic syringe or spoon that comes with the supplements.
The recommended dosage of folic acid for women:
- The recommended dosage of folic acid for those women who are trying to conceive is 400 micrograms. For those women who are trying to conceive, doctors usually prescribe a 90 days course of this vitamin.
- The recommended dosage of folic acid for a pregnant woman or lactating mother is 800 micrograms.
Conclusion
Folic acid is essential for a woman and does not usually cause any harm to your body. However, we always suggest every woman consult an obstetrician, before starting folic acid supplements. Stay healthy, stay fit.