B9vitamin
B9 vitamin, commonly called folate in natural dietary forms and folic acid in supplements, is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for one-carbon metabolism. It supports DNA synthesis and repair, RNA production, and the maturation of red blood cells.
In the body folates exist as tetrahydrofolate cofactors that transfer one-carbon groups for nucleotide and amino
Common dietary sources include leafy greens, legumes, citrus fruits, eggs, and fortified cereals. Intakes are expressed
Functions include synthesis of thymidylate and purines, methylation reactions, and amino acid metabolism. Adequate folate supports
Deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia and, in pregnancy, neural tube defects in the fetus. Symptoms include
Safety: excessive synthetic folic acid can mask B12 deficiency. The upper intake level for folic acid from
In practice, supplement use is individualized; women who may become pregnant are often advised to take folic