Folate Not Just for Pregnant Women

The word "folate" seems synonymous with pregnant women. In fact, folate actually needed by everyone.

Folate, which is a form of vitamin B which is soluble in water, is required for the development and growth. He helped grow new cells, so that was especially needed by pregnant women and their babies. In pregnant women, folate is needed to help reduce the risk of defects in the brain and spinal cord in infants.

Even so, children, adolescents, men, and elderly people also need a sufficient intake of folate, because basically everyone will make new cells every day. Folate is needed to make red blood cells healthy. If you lack folate intake, red blood cells can not divide perfectly, which can cause anemia.

How much folate intake is needed by humans according to age?
* Infants 0-6 months: 65 micrograms / day, 7-12 months: 80 micrograms / day
* Children 1-3 years: 150-300 mcg / day, 4-8 years: 200-400 mcg / day
* Men 14-18 years: 400-800 mcg / day, 19-70 years: 400-1000 micrograms / day
* Women 14-18 years: 400-800 mcg / day, 19-70 years: 400-1000 micrograms / day
* Pregnant women, 600-1000 micrograms / day
* Breastfeeding mothers, 500-1000 micrograms / day
Source: Dietary Reference intakes

All women of childbearing age need 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams / mg) or folic acid each day. It means, adolescent girls whose body began to change also need folic acid (synthetic form of folate, vitamin) to prepare to become a mother someday.

Another benefit of folate
Research shows that folic acid may help reduce the risk of other birth defects, such as heart, face, urinary tract, and other limbs. Folate helps reduce the risk of some conditions and diseases such as:

* Cardiovascular disease such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
* Some types of cancer such as breast cancer and cervical cancer.
* The disease affects the brain and mental functions such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and depression.
* The benefits of folate were also seen in women who have risk factors for diseases, such as family history (breast cancer), high alcohol intake (breast cancer), or infection with HPV (cervical cancer).