Medical expert of the article

Hematologist, oncohematologist

New publications

Causes of Folic Acid Insufficiency

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Since the folate reserves in the body are limited, and the daily requirement is high, folic acid deficiency and megaloblastic anemia can develop 1-6 months after the folic acid is discontinued. For folic acid deficiency, the following sequence of events is characteristic: during the first 3 weeks, the concentration of folic acid in the blood serum is decreased, after about 11 weeks, a hyposegmentation of the nuclei of neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils (a deficiency of folic acid and a reliable predictor of megaloblastic hematopoiesis) , a little later they show a decrease in the concentration of the vitamin in erythrocytes (17 weeks), macro-erythrocytes of erythrocytes (18 weeks), megaloblastic hematopoiesis in the margin Mr. Bone marrow (19 weeks), expanded the clinical picture of megaloblastic anemia develops after 19-20 weeks.

The concentration of folic acid in erythrocytes is a more accurate indicator of its stores in the body than the content in the serum, since it does not depend on the intake of vitamin with food in recent days. Nevertheless, megaloblastic anemia can develop with normal folic acid content in red blood cells and blood serum (for example, only in 50% of pregnant women with megaloblastic anemia the concentration of folate in erythrocytes is reduced).

Deficiency of folic acid - one of the most common forms of vitamin deficiency occurring when insufficient intake of it into the body, malabsorption syndrome, alcoholism, hyperthyroidism in children, scurvy, deficiency of vitamin B ₁₂ and C, hepatic disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, malignant neoplasms, myeloproliferative diseases, sepsis, hemolytic and sideroblastic anemia, acute inflammatory diseases (especially skin), pregnancy.

Taking large doses of vitamin C (more than 2 g) increases the excretion of folic acid from the body (it is necessary to increase the daily intake of folic acid).

trusted-source [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]

Translation Disclaimer: For the convenience of users of the iLive portal this article has been translated into the current language, but has not yet been verified by a native speaker who has the necessary qualifications for this. In this regard, we warn you that the translation of this article may be incorrect, may contain lexical, syntactic and grammatical errors.