Introduction: As we all know, diet is the key to maintaining our good health, and in order to ensure good health, we need to pay special attention to the types of foods we consume.
Fresh vegetables and fruits are an integral part of our daily diet because they are rich in nutrients, including vitamins, dietary fiber, and folic acid.
These nutrients are essential for our good health, providing the energy we need to keep our bodies functioning properly.
When we mention folic acid, the first thing that comes to many people's minds is pregnant women, and it is true that pregnant women need folic acid supplementation during pregnancy and pregnancy to prevent fetal development malformations. However, folic acid is not an exclusive item for pregnant women, and for many people, especially middle-aged and elderly people, folic acid also has great benefits, it can play a role in cleaning up plaque, and help prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral infarction.
Therefore, we need to pay attention to the intake of folic acid in our daily diet to ensure good health. 
Digestive abnormalities
Folic acid deficiency may lead to significant maldigestion and malabsorption, with specific symptoms including nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, unformed stools, and mucus pus and bloody stools.
and hair abnormalities
Folic acid deficiency may cause abnormal symptoms such as thinning hair, yellowing of hair, pale complexion, and yellowing.
Neurological abnormalities
Folic acid deficiency may also affect the nervous system, causing the nerves to become weak and sensitive, and patients may have symptoms such as insomnia, forgetfulness, irritability, and dreaminess.
Anemia
Severe folate deficiency may lead to megaloblastic anemia, with symptoms including weakness, tiredness, shortness of breath, irritability, headaches, and irregular heartbeats.
If left untreated, megaloblastic anemia can be fatal, especially if pregnant women are deficient in folic acid, leading to premature fetal birth, low infant weight, and fetal growth retardation.
In recent years, the incidence of cerebral infarction in China has been rising, which has brought a serious threat to people's health, and some people believe that the increase in cerebral infarction is related to the lack of folic acid. So, is this really the case?
First of all, we need to understand the role of folic acid in the human body, folic acid is a vitamin B nutrient that is essential for the growth and ** of the body's cells, it helps in the synthesis of red blood cells, DNA and other important biomolecules, and a lack of folic acid may lead to problems such as anemia and fetal neural tube defects.
However, the scientific community has not drawn definitive conclusions about the relationship between folic acid and cerebral infarction, although some studies have found that folic acid supplementation can reduce homocysteine levels in the blood, and high levels of homocysteine are thought to increase the risk of cerebral infarction.
However, this does not mean that folic acid deficiency is the main cause of cerebral infarction, in fact, the formation of cerebral infarction is the result of multiple factors, including high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, unhealthy diet, etc.
All of these factors can cause damage to blood vessels and increase the risk of thrombosis, whereas folate deficiency may only play an auxiliary role in some cases.
In addition, the level of folic acid among Chinese residents is generally low, which may be related to insufficient dietary habits and nutrient intake.
Therefore, folic acid supplementation in moderation is beneficial for maintaining health, however, we cannot simply blame the increase in cerebral infarction on folate deficiency and ignore other important risk factors.
Aunt Xu, a 57-year-old woman from Hebei Province who runs a breakfast shop near her neighborhood, goes out early and returns late every day, and needs to get up before 4 a.m. to buy groceries and prepare breakfast.
Despite the fact that the breakfast shop has a good income, her physical condition gradually declined due to long hours of work, and Aunt Xu felt the exhaustion of her body and could not recover even if she rested at home for a few days.
Some time ago, Aunt Xu suddenly fainted on the way to the wholesale market to buy ingredients, but fortunately, she was found by passers-by in time and dialed 120 emergency **.
After a detailed examination by the doctor, it was found that Aunt Xu's body was overtired, there were obvious plaques in the blood vessels, and the blood lipid level was also elevated, which increased the risk of cerebral infarction.
The doctor prescribed Aunt Xu drugs to lower blood lipids and folic acid. Aunt Xu was a little confused, she thought that folic acid was eaten by pregnant women who were trying to get pregnant, and she didn't understand why she needed to take it. But out of trust in the doctor, she still insists on taking her medication daily. Three months later, Aunt Xu went to the hospital again for a follow-up, and the results showed that her physical condition had improved significantly.
The blood lipid level dropped, the plaque in the blood vessels also dissipated, and the symptoms of cerebral infarction were reduced, which made Aunt Xu very happy, and she believed that the consumption of folic acid played a key role.
In recent years, a number of studies have also deepened the relationship between folic acid and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, which are mainly based on observational analysis and epidemiological investigations.
To understand the relationship between folic acid and plaque and cerebral infarction, it is necessary to first understand the formation of plaque and the mechanism of cerebral infarction.
Atherosclerosis is a central process of plaque formation, which involves a variety of factors such as dyslipidemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
Cerebral infarction, that is, ischemic stroke, is mainly due to cerebral vascular stenosis or occlusion, resulting in ischemia and hypoxia of brain tissue.
Although the role of folic acid in maintaining cellular health and preventing anemia has been widely recognized, more clinical evidence is needed to support the exact effect of direct plaque removal and prevention of cerebral infarction.
The association of folic acid with plaques and cerebral infarction has also been challenged by some studies. For example, some studies have found that although people with higher levels of folic acid have a lower risk of cerebral infarction, this association does not equate to causation.
In addition, the mechanism of action of folic acid in the body is quite complex, and a simple increase in intake does not necessarily mean a direct preventive effect on the disease.
Therefore, although there is an argument that rational use of folic acid may help clear plaque and prevent cerebral infarction, this conclusion is still not supported by strong direct evidence.
Further research is needed on the mechanism of action of folic acid and its actual effect in specific diseases. In this context, the public should maintain a rational attitude, follow professional medical advice, and plan their diet rationally in order to achieve the best health outcomes.
Prevent anemia
Folic acid helps prevent anemia, especially megaloblastic anemia, and folic acid and vitamin B12 are involved in the growth and maturation of red blood cells.
If folate deficiency occurs, it may lead to red blood cell dysfunction, which increases the risk of megaloblastic anemia. Therefore, folic acid supplementation can help middle-aged and elderly people prevent anemia and improve immunity.
Lowers blood pressure
High blood pressure is related to the level of homocysteine in the serum, and folic acid can reduce the level of homocysteine, thereby helping to lower blood pressure, which also has a significant effect on the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Improve sleep quality
Folic acid also helps to improve the sleep quality of middle-aged and elderly people, has the effect of sedation and sleep aid, and good sleep quality helps to improve the body's immunity and maintain good health.
Reduce the prevalence of depression
In addition to the above benefits, folic acid is also believed to reduce the prevalence of depression, folic acid is involved in the body's metabolism and growth and development, a persistent lack of folic acid may lead to an increased risk of depression, and supplementing with adequate folic acid can help maintain mental health.
People who are trying to conceive and women in the first trimester
People who are trying to conceive and women in the first trimester have a high need for folic acid because it contributes to the normal development of the fetal nervous system.
Women without high-risk factors are advised to supplement with folic acid 0 per day starting at least 3 months before possible pregnancy or conception4-0.8 mg until the first trimester of pregnancy.
Women with a history of neural tube defects need a higher intake of folic acid, and it is recommended to supplement with 4 mg of folic acid daily.
Women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and lactating women
Women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and lactating women also need to continue to supplement folic acid, and it is recommended to supplement with folic acid 0 per day4mg, and regularly consume foods rich in folic acid.
Patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Elevated homocysteine levels due to folate deficiency are considered independent risk factors for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Therefore, patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should be supplemented with 08 mg of folic acid can achieve a synergistic effect on reducing homocysteine levels.
Patients with rheumatic immune diseases
Patients with rheumatic immune diseases taking low-dose methotrexate can be supplemented with 5 to 10 mg of folic acid per week to reduce adverse drug reactions.
Depressed patients
In patients with depression, on the basis of the application of serotonin and uptake inhibitors, reasonable supplementation of folic acid can improve the reactivity of **.
More folic acid is not always better.
Excessive intake of folic acid may affect the body's absorption of other nutrients, and even produce ***, so it is not recommended to consume large amounts of folic acid for a long time.
Of course, different people need different amounts of folic acid, so if you're considering taking folic acid for a long time, it's important to consult your doctor or dietitian for advice.
They can assess whether you need folic acid supplementation based on your specific situation, determine the appropriate amount of supplementation, and we can also get enough folic acid through your diet.
Leafy greens
Green leafy vegetables are important for folic acid**, such as spinach, lettuce, rape, etc., these vegetables are not only rich in folic acid, but also rich in vitamins and minerals, which help improve the body's immunity.
Fruits
There are also many foods rich in folic acid, such as strawberries, cherries, oranges, etc., which are rich in vitamin C and folic acid, which help lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Legumes
Legumes are also good for folic acid**, such as soybeans, black beans, mung beans, etc., which are rich in protein and folate, which can help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Nuts
Foods rich in folate in nuts include walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc., which are rich in healthy fats and folate, which can help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat bread is made from whole wheat flour and is rich in folic acid and other nutrients, whole wheat bread is also rich in dietary fiber, which helps to increase satiety and promote digestion.
The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors, including the product, production process, quality assurance, and brand reputation, among others.
In general, higher folic acid supplements may come from more reliable vendors, with more advanced production processes, and undergo stricter quality control and testing to ensure higher quality and purity.
In addition, some high-end brands may also add other nutrients or adopt special formulas to meet the needs of specific groups of people.
However, this does not mean that inexpensive folic acid supplements are necessarily bad, and in some cases, they may be just as good in quality and effectiveness. When choosing a folic acid supplement, consumers should carefully review the product's ingredient list, manufacturing date, expiration date, and other information and make an informed decision based on their needs and budget.