How to supplement folic acid? A summary of 20 pieces of practical knowledge

Dear expectant mothers, please stop worrying about whether to take folic acid supplements.

Folic acid must be supplemented. So what should we pay attention to when supplementing folic acid?

I have summarized 20 suggestions for you. Every sentence is valuable. Be sure to save them.

1. Folic acid is very important for babies and can prevent fetal neural tube defects such as anencephaly, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, etc.

2. Folic acid is also good for mothers. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, preeclampsia and other diseases in pregnant women.

3. During pregnancy, many nutrients can be obtained from food, but folic acid cannot. This is because natural folic acid is too delicate. It is afraid of heat, light and acid, and is particularly easy to be destroyed. Its bioavailability is also low. The amount of folic acid ingested in daily diet is far from enough.

4. It is recommended to supplement folic acid from 3 months before pregnancy until delivery.

5. The amount of folic acid that needs to be supplemented is different at different stages. According to the "Chinese Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus on Rational Folic Acid Supplementation in Clinical Practice", it is recommended to supplement 0.4 or 0.8 mg of folic acid per day from 3 months before pregnancy to the early pregnancy. Folic acid can continue to be supplemented in the middle and late pregnancy until delivery, 0.4 mg per day.

6. Some special groups, such as women whose parents or themselves suffer from neural tube defects, or women with a history of giving birth to children with neural tube defects, need to increase or increase folic acid intake in large amounts. Please consult a doctor for specific methods.

7. It is not recommended for pregnant women to undergo routine folic acid metabolism gene testing. This is because the impact of several common gene mutations on folic acid metabolism rate is not significant. Just follow the doctor's advice and take folic acid supplements normally.

8. Folic acid is not the more expensive the better. Generally speaking, single folic acid tablets are cheaper, and compound folic acid with other nutrients added is more expensive. If you have a balanced diet during pregnancy, or take other multivitamins, then you can supplement with single folic acid.

9. Have you taken folic acid for 3 months and still not pregnant? Then keep taking it.

10. Reasonable folic acid supplementation will not cause fetal arrest, irregular menstruation, or affect pregnancy.

11. Do men also need to take folic acid when preparing for pregnancy?

At present, there is no sufficient evidence to prove that men taking folic acid can prevent fetal neural tube defects.

12. Is it too late to take folic acid supplements if you are already pregnant?

It’s definitely a little late, but eating it right away is better than not eating it at all.

13. Folic acid needs to be taken every day. If you miss a dose, you don’t need to make up for it. You can take it normally the next day.

14. Even if you take folic acid supplements, you should still pay attention to consuming foods rich in folic acid such as green leafy vegetables, soy products, animal liver, lean meat, eggs, etc.

15. In theory, folic acid is more effective when taken before meals, but if you feel stomach discomfort after taking it, you can also take it half an hour after meals.

16.
Natural folic acid is not necessarily the best. Synthetic folic acid is more stable than natural folic acid and has a higher absorption rate than natural folic acid.

17. If you are taking several complex nutritional supplements at the same time, please be sure to read the ingredients carefully!

Even some milk powder for pregnant women has additional folic acid added to prevent repeated use of folic acid, which may lead to excessive intake.

18. There is also a kind of folic acid tablet with a content of 5 mg in the pharmacy, which is for special groups of people. Be sure to pay attention to it and don’t buy the wrong one.

19. I have severe morning sickness during pregnancy. I vomited right after taking folic acid. Do I need to take more? No

20. Although folic acid is good, it cannot be taken in excess. Long-term high-dose (more than 1 mg per day) folic acid supplementation may cause health risks, such as increasing the risk of certain cancers, affecting zinc absorption, and reducing folic acid absorption rate.

By Doctor Jojo