Mr. Lee, 53, runs a thriving breakfast shop, and every day before dawn breaks, he starts his day with enthusiasm and greets every customer.
Recently, however, he found himself tossing and turning at night and having trouble sleeping. After taking his blood pressure at the pharmacy, he found that the value was too high, so he decided to go to the community hospital for further examination.
After careful diagnosis by the doctor, Mr. Li's blood pressure was indeed high, but he did not need to take antihypertensive medication immediately. The doctor advised him to adjust his lifestyle, pay attention to rest, and supplement with some folic acid.
Mr. Li was surprised to hear that the doctor had asked him to take folic acid. In his inherent concept, folic acid is a nutritional product designed for pregnant women, what does it have to do with men?
The doctor patiently explained to him that the elevated blood pressure of many middle-aged and elderly people was related to the lack of folic acid, and Mr. Li, who was skeptical, went to the pharmacy to pick up the medicine according to the doctor's advice. Surprisingly, after half a year, his blood pressure condition improved significantly and stabilized.
First of all, folic acid has a good preventive and auxiliary effect on hypertension. Studies have shown that folic acid supplementation can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Secondly, folic acid deficiency can lead to cognitive dysfunction, such as memory loss, slow thinking, etc. Folic acid supplementation can increase the level of neurotransmitters in the brain, improve cognitive function, and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's.
In addition, folic acid is also effective in relieving symptoms of depression. Studies have shown that folic acid deficiency is associated with the occurrence of depression, and appropriate folic acid supplementation can improve the mood and quality of life of depressed patients.
For patients with chronic gastritis, folic acid supplementation can assist in diseases such as gastric ulcers and chronic gastritis. Folic acid has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can reduce the inflammatory response of the gastric mucosa and promote the repair and regeneration of the gastric mucosa.
Finally, folic acid can also prevent anemia. Folic acid is an important substance for the synthesis of red blood cells, and a lack of folic acid can lead to anemia and hemoglobin abnormalities. Folic acid supplementation can promote the normal production of red blood cells and prevent the occurrence of anemia.
When there are multiple symptoms of discomfort in the body, people tend to feel very worried and helpless. In such cases, timely folic acid supplementation may be an effective solution.
Paleness, lack of energy, inability to sleep, poor memory, and gastrointestinal disorders can be signs of a lack of folic acid in the body.
Pale face and lack of energy can be due to anemia or neurological problems. Folic acid is an important component of red blood cells, and a lack of folic acid can lead to insufficient production of red blood cells, which can cause anemia.
At the same time, folic acid is essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system, and a lack of folic acid may lead to abnormal nerve conduction, manifested by lack of energy and fatigue.
Trouble sleeping and poor memory may be related to an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Folic acid can promote the synthesis and balance of certain chemicals in the brain, and a lack of folic acid may affect these chemicals, leading to sleep disturbances and memory loss.
Gastrointestinal dysfunction may be related to the balance of the gut microbiota. Folic acid plays an important role in the healthy growth and balance of the gut microbiota, and a lack of folic acid may cause gastrointestinal upset and digestive problems.
First, choose the right folic acid supplement to make sure it contains the right amount of folic acid and is easily absorbed. Secondly, it is important to pay attention to the timing of supplementation, which is usually recommended to start supplementing in the first trimester of pregnancy and continue until the third trimester after pregnancy. This can effectively prevent the occurrence of fetal neural tube defects.
In addition, we also need to pay attention to the intake of folic acid, excessive intake of folic acid is also undesirable as it may lead to impaired absorption of other nutrients.
In addition, for people with chronic diseases or special diseases, folic acid supplementation requires special attention and is best done under the guidance of a doctor.
Finally, we should also pay attention to the ** and quality of folic acid, and choose folic acid supplements from reliable brands and channels to ensure its quality and safety.
In the process of folic acid supplementation, we also need to pay attention to the synergistic effect with other nutrients. For example, vitamin B12 works with folic acid to promote the normal development of the fetal nervous system.
Therefore, while supplementing with folic acid, it is also necessary to pay attention to adequate vitamin B12 intake. In addition, the intake of minerals and vitamins such as calcium, iron, and zinc is also important, and together with folic acid, they form a complete nutritional system.
There are a wide variety of folic acid products on the market, with a wide range of dollars, ranging from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Why does folic acid, which seems to be the same, be so different?Among them, the properties and ** of folic acid products are the key factors in deciding.
First of all, folic acid products can be divided into two categories: health products and medicines. The listing process between the two is very different. The marketing process of drugs is very rigorous, and it must be verified by both animal experiments and clinical trials to ensure that they are safe and effective.
Relatively speaking, health care products only need to be tested on animals or human samples before they can be marketed. This difference in the listing process makes the cost and ** of the two also different.
In addition, each qualified drug and health care product has a corresponding attribute mark on its packaging. Nutraceuticals usually have the food logo (blue cap) printed on them, while pharmaceuticals have the OTC logo (over-the-counter medicines) printed on them. These marks represent the legitimacy and safety of the product, and they are also important information that consumers need to pay attention to when making a purchase.
In addition, the ingredients and content of health products and medicines also differ. The drug folic acid tablets generally contain 400 micrograms of folic acid, and the ingredients are relatively simple.
In addition to folic acid, health supplements usually add multivitamin tablets, making them a complex nutritional supplement. This difference in composition and content also makes the difference between the two.
In terms of pricing, the ** of drugs is strictly controlled by the state. In order to stabilize society, drugs are usually controlled within a certain range as a rigid necessity.
Health care products do not belong to drugs, and their ** depends more on market demand and advertising investment. In order to attract consumers, health supplement manufacturers usually invest a lot of advertising money and pay attention to the packaging design of the product. All of these factors will increase the cost of health supplements, making them relatively higher.