Pregnant or planned pregnancy - with folic acid

Bio-Folin is a mono-preparation consisting of yellow tablets with a diameter of 8.5 mm, each containing 400 micrograms of active methylfolate in the form of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). This vitamin source replaces the synthetic form of folic acid used in many vitamin preparations.

5-MTHF - 4th generation of methylfolate
In most preparations with methylfolate, the methylfolate is added in the form of Calcium l-methylfolate. Instead of using the calcium salt of the vitamin, Pharma Nord has chosen a new version of methylfolate that uses a patented glucosamine salt of the biologically active folate. The glucosamine is of vegetable origin and therefore suitable for vegetarians.

This new generation of methylfolate is the result of research aimed at combining efficacy, safety and significant advantages in solubility compared to previous folate generations.

Folic acid belongs to the group of water-soluble B vitamins. One of several older designations of folic acid, is vitamin B9. There is folic acid in our diet, but since it is a relatively fragile vitamin that is vulnerable to light, air, and heat, a lot of the folic acid in food is lost in the cooking process. Folic acid is an important factor in tissue growth in the pregnant woman and also plays a role in cell division. Folic acid is one of the coenzymes required for different cellular tasks such as making the amino acid methionine from homocysteine ​​and glycine from serine. Folic acid also participates in the metabolism of histidine, in the formation of purines and pyrimidines, and several other substances.

 
Effects of folic acid:
 

• Plays a role in cell division in the body
• Contributes to normal blood formation
• Contributes to normal homocysteine ​​metabolism and to a normal amino acid synthesis
• Contributes to a healthy immune system
• Supports tissues growth in pregnant women
• Helps normal psychological functions
• Helps reduce fatigue and exhaustion

Folic acid and pregnancy

The Danish National Board of Health recommends for women who plan to become pregnant to take a daily supplement of at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. In order to achieve the health benefit, which is a reduced risk of neural tube defects in the fetus, the supplement must be taken one month prior to conception and up to three months into the pregnancy.

In addition to pregnant and breastfeeding women, people who eat an unbalanced diet consisting of ready meals and heated ambient food without fresh vegetables will also benefit from folic acid supplementation.
 

Good sources of folic acid
 

Folate is found in a variety of foods. Good sources of the vitamin include:

• liver
• juice
• beans
• cabbage
• spinach
• salad

Homocysteine is an amino acid that is formed in connection with normal cellular energy metabolism. High blood levels of homocysteine can be bad for your health. The body has different mechanisms for breaking down and recycling homocysteine into methionine. Both folic acid and vitamin B12 contribute to this metabolic cycle, which is a part of normal homocysteine metabolism.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated the evidence behind folic acid and has acknowledged the following claims:

• Women of child-bearing age can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the developing foetus by taking a daily supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid, starting at least one month before and up to three months after conception.
• Contributes to normal maternal tissue growth during pregnancy
• Contributes to normal amino acid synthesis
• Contributes to normal blood formation
• Contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism
• Contributes to normal psychological functions
• Contributes to normal functioning of the immune system
• Contributes to the reduction of fatigue and exhaustion
• Has a role in the process of cell division