What are the side effects of folic acid tablets?

Generally speaking, women should take folic acid tablets starting in the first three months of pregnancy, but many women do not take them on time because they are worried about the side effects of taking folic acid tablets. So, are their worries unnecessary? Are there any side effects of folic acid tablets?

Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin composed of pteridine, p-aminobenzoic acid and glutamic acid residues, and is an essential substance for the growth and reproduction of body cells. It exists in the liver, kidneys, yeast and green leafy vegetables such as beans, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, etc., and can now be synthesized artificially.

Side effects of folic acid tablets

Folic acid is converted into tetrahydrofolate (THFA) through the action of dihydrofolate reductase and vitamin B12. The latter combines with a variety of one-carbon units (including CH3, CH2, CHO, etc.) to form tetrahydrofolate coenzymes, transfer one-carbon units, and participate in many important reactions in the body and the synthesis of nucleic acids and amino acids.

Under the action of serine transhydroxylase, THFA forms N5,10-methyltetrahydrofolate, which can promote the formation of thymine nucleotide (dTMP) from uracil nucleotide (dUMP). The latter can participate in the DNA synthesis of cells and promote cell division and maturation. During DNA synthesis, deoxyuridine is converted to deoxythymidylate, with the required methyl group being provided by methylenetetrahydrofolate. When folic acid is deficient, DNA synthesis slows down, but RNA synthesis is not affected. As a result, blood cells with larger cell size and more immature nuclei are produced in the bone marrow, especially red blood cells. Timely supplementation can have a therapeutic effect.

Many women know that they should take appropriate folic acid supplements before pregnancy. At the same time, many women will have such questions in their minds: pregnancy is a major life event for women, and folic acid must be supplemented before and during pregnancy. So what are the side effects of folic acid? Will taking too much folic acid cause any adverse reactions? If it damages your body, then wouldn't it harm the baby? Below, we introduce the side effects of folic acid and what you should pay attention to when taking folic acid.

Side Effects of Folic Acid

First of all, it is important to understand that folic acid generally has no side effects. Currently, the biggest problem with taking folic acid is not the side effects of folic acid, but the problem of overdose of folic acid.

Side Effects of Folic Acid

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and generally will not cause poisoning even if it exceeds the minimum requirement for adults by 20 times. Any excess folic acid is excreted in the urine.

However, folic acid can be toxic to humans if taken in large doses. At present, women before and during pregnancy generally only need to take 400 micrograms per day. The specific dosage should be based on the instructions of various folic acid tablets.

Excessive intake of folic acid can mask the early signs of vitamin deficiency and cause damage to the nervous system.

Adverse reactions to folic acid overdose

Long-term and excessive use of folic acid may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, abdominal distension, and yellow urine. Oral folic acid can quickly improve megaloblastic anemia, but it cannot prevent the progression of neurological damage caused by vitamin deficiency. If folic acid is still taken in large doses, the vitamin content in the serum can be further reduced, which will cause the neurological damage to develop in an irreversible direction.

Note: Use synthetic folic acid with caution

Currently, researchers have made the latest discovery: natural folic acid contained in green leafy vegetables is absorbed in the human intestine, while synthetic folic acid is absorbed in the liver. The amount of synthetic folic acid absorbed by the liver is limited. The excess synthetic folic acid that is not absorbed will enter the blood and may cause diseases such as leukemia and arthritis.