Folic acid: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What Medicine Folic Acid?

What is the function of folic acid?

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that helps your body produce and maintain new cells and prevent cancer-causing DNA changes.

Folic acid is usually found in a variety of foods, such as:

• fruits (bananas, oranges, lemons)
• leafy greens (spinach, lettuce, and broccoli)
• legumes (dried beans and peas)
• asparagus
• mushrooms and yeast
• beef (liver and kidney)
• fruit juice (orange juice and tomato juice)

Meanwhile, those that have been formed in additional supplements or drugs, are usually used to support the fulfillment of folic acid intake in the body.

This drug is also used to treat various conditions caused by a lack of folate intake, such as liver problems, alcohol addiction, inflammation of the walls of the digestive tract, and kidney dialysis.

Other functions of folic acid include:

• prevent colon cancer, cervical cancer, heart disease, and stroke
• reduce the risk of heart disease
• treat memory loss, Alzheimer's disease
• treat hearing loss due to age
• prevent cataracts
• reduce signs of aging such as osteoporosis
• relieves restless leg syndrome symptoms
• mbhelp sleep problems, depression, muscle problems
• helps with skin problems such as vitiligo

If you are pregnant, you may need this folic acid supplement to prevent birth defects in the baby in the future. To find out more information, you should consult your gynecologist.

How do you take folic acid?

Take folic acid as directed by your doctor with a full glass of water. You should not drink it in larger quantities or for longer than recommended.

Your doctor may change your dose from time to time to make sure you are getting the best efficacy from this drug.

How to store this drug?

This vitamin is best stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Do not store in damp places, in the bathroom, or freezer.

Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed.

Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal agency about how to safely dispose of your product.

Folic Acid Dosage

The following information cannot be used as a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.

What is the dose of folic acid for adults?

The following is the recommended folic acid dosage for adults:

Adult normal dosage for megaloblastic anemia

Healing dose: 1 mg daily, can be taken orally, through muscle, intravenously, and through the skin.

• Maintenance dose for adults: 0.4 mg daily
• Maintenance dose for pregnant and lactating women: 0.8 mg daily

The minimum dose for this treatment is 0.1 mg daily.

Normal adult dosage for folic acid deficiency

• Dosage for adults: 400 mcg orally, injection via muscle (intramuscular / IM), under the skin (subcutaneous), or a vein (intravenous / IV) once a day.
• Dosage for women of childbearing age, pregnant: 600 mcg orally, injection via muscle (intramuscular / IM), under the skin (subcutaneous), or a vein (intravenous / IV) once a day
• Dosage for breastfeeding women: 500 mcg orally, injection via muscle (intramuscular / IM), under the skin (subcutaneous), or a vein (intravenous / IV) once a day

What is the dose of folic acid for children?

The following is the recommended folic acid dosage for children:

Normal dosage for children with megaloblastic anemia

• Infants: 0.1 mg orally, intravenously, under the skin, or IV once a day.
• Children younger than 4 years: up to 0.3 mg orally, intravenously, under the skin, or IV once a day.
• Children 4 years of age and older: 0.4 mg orally by mouth, muscle injection, under the skin or IV once a day.

The minimum dose is 0.1 mg daily

Normal dosage for children with folic acid deficiency

• For infants: 0.1 mg orally, injection through muscle, under the skin, or IV once a day.
• For children younger than 4 years: up to 0.3 mg orally, intravenously, under the skin, or IV once a day.
• For children 4 years of age and older: 0.4 mg orally, intravenously, under the skin or IV once a day..

The minimum dose is 0.1 mg daily

Your child's normal dosage for the recommended daily vitamin / mineral supplement requirement

• Premature babies: 50 mcg taken by mouth daily
• Infants 0-6 months: 65 mcg taken daily
• Toddlers 1-3 years old: 150 mcg taken daily
• Children 4-8 years old: 200 mcg taken daily
• Children 9-13 years: 300 mcg orally daily
• Adolescents aged 14 and over: 400 mcg taken daily

In what doses is this drug available?

Folic acid is available in capsules, injections, and tablets with the following sizes:

• Capsules, oral: 5 mg, 20 mg
• Solution, injection, sodium folate: 5 mg / mL
• Tablet, orally: 400 mcg, 800 mcg, 1 mg
• Tablets, orally taken: 400 mcg, 800 mcg

Folic Acid Side Effects

What side effects might occur from drinking folic acid?

Folic acid usually has very few side effects. If you have any unusual effects from consuming this product, tell your doctor.

The side effects of using folic acid are as follows:

• high fever
• red skin
• shortness of breath
• skin rash
• itching of the skin
• chest tightness
• difficulty breathing
• wheezing

However, not everyone who takes folic acid will experience the side effects that have been mentioned. There may be some side effects not listed above.

If you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, seek medical help immediately:

• rash
• itching accompanied by swelling (especially of the face, tongue, and throat)
• dizziness or severe headache
• difficulty breathing

If you have any concerns about side effects, please consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using folic acid?

Before deciding to take this vitamin, there are a number of things you should do, namely:

• Ensure that you do not have an allergic reaction to the drug, because if you have an allergy to folic acid then you should not take this drug.
• Make sure you don't have any other serious health problems. If you have other diseases, your doctor may have to change the dosage to suit your conditions and needs. In fact, in certain cases, your doctor may have to do medical tests to make sure that taking folic acid is safe for you.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, or are on kidney dialysis
• Tell your doctor if you have hemolytic anemia, which is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they are forming.
• Tell your doctor if you have pernicious anemia, which is a condition when your body can't produce enough red blood cells due to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Tell your doctor if you have anemia, but it hasn't been diagnosed by a doctor and hasn't been confirmed by laboratory tests
• Tell your doctor if you have an infection
• Tell your doctor if you are an alcoholic

Is folic acid safe for pregnant and lactating women?

When pregnant, make sure you always consult with your doctor about the vitamins you take. You should only take certain vitamins if the benefits outweigh the possible risks.

Drinking folic acid can be categorized as safe as long as your doctor recommends it. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes this supplement into category A pregnancy risk, aka no risk.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

The condition of folic acid deficiency is something that often attacks pregnant women. This can result in incomplete formation of the fetus resulting in birth defects.

That is why, US Center for Disease Control recommends — as published in one of the articles on the page Drugs.com — pregnant women to consume as much as 0.4 mg of folic acid per day.

Meanwhile, for pregnant women who have a history of giving birth to a baby with congenital defects, such as failure to close the neural tube, the dose of folic acid given will be higher, which is 4 mg per day.

Drinking breastfeeding folic acid is a good thing and does not harm nursing mothers and babies who are still breastfed. Although it can come out with breast milk and be drunk by the baby, folic acid is useful to help fulfill nutrition in babies.

In addition, no side effects were detected in mother and baby after taking this supplement.

Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with folic acid?

Certain drugs that are taken together have a risk of causing drug interactions. Only if needed, the doctor may still prescribe it with some adjustments and precautions.

There are 25 types of drugs that often interact with folic acid, including:

• Aspirin
• Biotin (Hair, Skin & Nails, Appearex)
• Calcium 600 D (calcium / vitamin d)
• CoQ10 (ubiquinone)
• Cymbalta (duloxetine)
• Fish Oil (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids)
• Lasix (furosemide)
• levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Tyrosint, Levothroid, Eltroxin, Levothyrox, Euthyrox, Unithroid, L Thyroxine Roche, Levo-T, Oroxine, Eutroxsig, Novothyrox, Tyrosint-Sol, Levotabs, Levotec, Evotrox)
• Lipitor (atorvastatin)
• Lyrica (pregabalin)
• methotrexate (Trexall, Rasuvo, Methotrexate LPF Sodium, Otrexup, Rheumatrex Dose Pack, Xatmep, Folex PFS)
• Nexium (esomeprazole)
• Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine)
• Plavix (clopidogrel)
• Singulair (montelukast)
• sulfasalazine (Azulfidine, Sulfazine, Azulfidine EN-tabs)
• Synthroid (levothyroxine)
• Tylenol (acetaminophen)
• Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
• Vitamin d
• Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)
• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
• Vitamins (multivitamins)
• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• Xanax (alprazolam)

Can food or alcohol interact with folic acid?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Smoking or consuming alcohol with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur.

Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider, as there may be interactions between alcohol and tobacco with these vitamins.

What health conditions can interact with folic acid?

Certain health conditions that you have can affect how folic acid works. Always tell your doctor if you have other health problems, especially pernicious anemia, which is a type of anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12 levels in the body.

Taking folic acid while you have pernicious anemia can cause serious side effects. You must make sure that you do not have pernicious anemia before starting the use of this dietary supplement.

Overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

Symptoms of an overdose that may occur from taking folic acid are:

• numb
• tongue and mouth ache
• weak
• can't concentrate
• feeling confused and ending up feeling tired

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take the missed dose immediately. However, if it is nearing the time to take the next dose, simply skip the missed dose and return to your usual drinking schedule.

Even though it is classified as safe, do not force yourself to take this food supplement with a larger dose than usual. Do not double your dose because if you do it without your doctor's direction and approval, you may experience serious health problems.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.