Hi, ‘Nay! Isa sa pinaka recommended na vitamin para sa kahit sinong nagdadalang tao ay ang folic acid. Properly taking folic acid for pregnancy is a cornerstone of being a supermom! For men and women who aren’t pregnant, folic acid plays a key role in cell generation. Kung ang folic acid ay mahalaga sa pagbuo ng cells ng mga taong hindi buntis, mas higit na mahalaga ito para sa mga nanay na may binubuong chikiting sa sinapupunan.
Folic acid is vital in healthy cell division as well as in the proper development of babies inside a mother’s womb. That said, insufficient folic acid results in birth defects. Ang pinaka karaniwang birth defect na nararanasan sa kakulangan ng folic acid habang nagbubuntis ay neural tube defect.
Neural Tube Defects
Ang neural tube defect (NTD) ay isang uri ng birth defect. Ang pinaka karaniwang presentation nito ay ang hindi pagbuo ng backbone sa ilang bahagi ng spine. Other presentations of NTD may include problems in the development of the brain and nerves. NTD may be diagnosed in babies during pregnancy as well as after birth. Bagama’t nakakatakot man isipin na pwede itong mangyari sa ating mga mahal na anak sa sinapupunan, the good news is it’s easily preventable with the right supplementation of folic acid.
Folic Acid Benefits During & Beyond Child Bearing
Ang folic acid ay isang B-vitamin na mahalaga sa pagbuo ng mga bagong cells ng katawan. Samakatuwid, mas malaki ang kahalagahan ng sapat na folic acid for pregnancy dahil lumilikha ang nanay ng chikiting—kailangan ay healthy ang pagbuo ng mga bagong cells ni baby! Bukod dito, ang folic acid ay siya ring kailangan ng katawan sa paggawa ng healthy new cells na kailangan sa pang araw-araw like in producing more hair, stronger nails, and healthy skin to name a few.
Ang folic acid ay hindi lamang kailangan sa pagbubuntis. Taking folic acid supplements like Foladin is recommended for women at childbearing age. Dahil sa physiology ng kababaihan, taking vitamins that improve hemoglobin like iron, as well as vitamins that improve cell creation like B-vitamins and folic acid, are important in maintaining a long and healthy life. Halimbawa, ang paggamit ng iron + folic acid supplement tulad ng Polymax ay nakakatulong sa anemia, a condition that’s very common among women. Ang wastong paggamit din ng folic acid bago ang pagbubuntis at kahit para sa mga walang balak magdalang tao ay kinakitaang nakakatulong sa pag-reduce ng risk ng heart disease, at pagpapanatili ng healthy brain and mental state. Bukod pa rito, ang tamang supplementations ng folic acid ay nakakatulong sa pagpapanatili ng kalusugan matapos ang menopause. This is why folic is one of the many vitamins that is super recommended by doctors—it’s absolutely crucial to long-term health!
Maaari bang masobrahan sa folic acid?
Mahalaga rin mabatid na ang kahit anong labis ay masama. To paraphrase Paracelsus, the difference between medicine and poison is the dose. Ang sobrang folic acid ay maaaring maging sanhi ng ilang komplikasyon sa pagbubuntis katulad ng pagkakaroon ng neurological disorder at mabagal na brain development para kay baby.
Sa mga hindi naman nagbubuntis, taking too much folic acid will cause increased blood concentration of the vitamin. Having unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) increases the risk of age-related mental decline. It also increases the rate of cancer recurrence for people who have survived certain cancers like prostate and colorectal cancer.
Proper folic acid supplementation is love
through healthcare for every super MOM!
Taking folic acid at proper amounts is key to staying healthy. Make sure to take folic acid as recommended by your OB-Gyne or attending physician. Mahalaga rin ang maging mapagmatyag sa mga binibili na pagkain. There are plenty of foods that are ‘enriched’ with folic acid along with other vitamins; make sure to read the labels on different foodstuffs and take note which ones have added folic acid. Makakatulong rin kung iko-konsulta ang diet sa inyong doktor.
Speaking of diet, bukod sa folic acid ay mayroon din folate. Ang folate ay ang dietary equivalent ng folic acid; meaning it’s the natural form that folic acid takes when it is part of organic food. The good news is there is no upper limit on folate from food. Maaari kang kumain ng pagkaing rich in folate ng hindi nag-aalala sa overdosing. However there are key takeaways why you can’t rely solely on folate from food alone: 1) ang folate mula sa pagkain ay naa-absorb ng katawan sa rate ng 50% lamang (kumpara sa 85% sa folic acid supplement) at 2) karamihan sa mga pagkain na may folate ay mataas din ang saturated fat kung kaya’t hindi recommended na kumain ng labis labis nito. Ilan sa mga pagkaing mayaman sa folate ay atay, dairy products tulad ng gatas, keso, at itlog, at may trace folate din sa ilang mga gulay tulad ng spinach at asparagus.
Hindi maitatago ang kahalagahan ng folic acid. It’s important in maintaining a healthy body especially for women, and more so for planning to be pregnant and expecting mothers. While there are plenty of supplements in the market, it’s important to take supplements from brands you can trust. Ang Foladin (folic acid) ay well-tolerated sa bituka kung kaya’t kahit maselan ang nanay or maselan ang kanyang pagbubuntis, kayang kaya pa ring panatilihing super ang pregnancy! Kaya ang sigaw ng mga mommies? “Doc! Ang folic acid! Darna-’Nay!”
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute a professional expertise, ask your doctor or healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
References:
Sissons, C. (2019). Folate vs. folic acid: What to know. Medical News Today. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327290.
Center for Disease Control. (2022). Folic Acid | CDC. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html#:~:text=Why%20folic%20acid%20is%20important,and%20spine%20(spina%20bifida)
Greenberg, James A., MD, Bell Stacey J., DSc, RD, Guan, Yong, MD, and Yu, Yan-hong, MD, PhD. (2011). Folic Acid Supplementation and Pregnancy: More Than Just Neural Tube Defect Prevention. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/
Gaas, Marie Claire A., PNC-ZDS. (2022). Dangers of Neural Tube Defects. National Nutrition Council. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.nnc.gov.ph/regional-offices/mindanao/region-ix-zamboanga-peninsula/4969-dangers-of-neural-tube-defects
Petre, Alina, MS, RD (NL) and Ajmera, Rachael, MS, RD. (2023). 4 Potential Side Effects of Too Much Folic Acid. Healthline. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/folic-acid-side-effects
uclahealth (2021). Why every woman needs folic acid. UCLA Health. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/why-every-woman-needs-folic-acid#:~:text=Folic%20acid%20may%20help%20reduce,10%25%20reduction%20in%20stroke%20risk.