Folate (vitamin B9) | Laboratory research

General Information

Folate – vitamin B9 – is an important component in assessing the blood formation processes and proper development of the nervous system in children. Timely testing helps prevent anemia and growth retardation.

Folic acid (FA)Is Group B water soluble vitamin (B9), which participates in the growth and development processes of the organism. FA is essential for the differentiation of red blood cells, for the normal functioning of the bone marrow and nervous system, for cell division, and is very important for the proper development of the fetus.

Folic acid metabolism is related With vitamin B12: Cobalamin is involved in the cellular uptake of 5-methyl-tetra-hydro-folate monoglutamate and its intracellular transformation into polyglutamate.

Most plant or animal foods contain FA, but Its deficiency is the most common B avitaminosis In Europe and North America. This is the result of an unbalanced diet with very low levels of fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, with age, various diseases, specific medications such as cotrimoxazole can cause malabsorption and associated folic acid deficiency. Low levels of FA in the body can be caused by: alcoholism or its antagonists, malabsorption (for example, celiac disease), increased demand for it (for example, during pregnancy, anemia or malignant diseases).

Folic acid is absorbed in the small intestine. After absorption, food folate and reabsorbed bile folate move into the circulation, where they bind non-specifically and with low affinity to albumin; One-third circulates in free form, and only a very small fraction binds to the folate-binding protein obtained from the cell membrane; Circulating follicle monoglutamate is rapidly absorbed at the cellular level via the follicle receptor or by passive diffusion, converted to polyglutamate folate at the cytosolic level, and then transported to organs (35% of intracellular folium is found in mitochondria).

The human body contains 5-10 mg of folate and most (50%) is stored in the liver. Excretion occurs in feces (important for entero-hepatic processing) and urine.

Folic acid is also synthesized by intestinal bacteria.