Kapanlagi.com - Folic acid is also known as vitamin B9. Vitamin B9 is part of the B-complex vitamins that the body needs. There are various benefits of folic acid for health, including preventing anemia, promoting brain health, and being an important vitamin for pregnant women.
The B-complex vitamins consist of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12. Among the B-complex vitamins, vitamin B9 or folic acid is a type of vitamin that is important for the body. Folic acid plays a crucial role in maintaining our body's health and vitality.
One of the benefits of folic acid is its amazing function in helping the formation of red blood cells. Adequate production of red blood cells can have positive effects on our health, such as preventing the risk of anemia.
Not only that, folic acid is also an important vitamin for pregnant women. There are many different benefits of folic acid for pregnant women.
In addition, folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that can be obtained from various types of foods such as fruits and vegetables. For a more complete understanding of the benefits of folic acid, kapanlagi.com has compiled information from various sources below.
1. Preventing Anemia - Keeping the Brain Healthy
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The benefits of folic acid for health include overcoming anemia and maintaining brain health. Here are some of the benefits of folic acid for brain health and overcoming anemia.
1. Preventing Anemia
As mentioned in the previous review, the first benefit of folic acid is that it can prevent the risk of anemia. Anemia is characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells. This causes the body to experience symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
However, it turns out that folic acid can help in the formation of red blood cells, thus preventing anemia. In this way, folic acid can ensure an adequate number of red blood cells in the body. In addition to folic acid, the body also needs other nutrients such as iron to overcome anemia.
2. Maintaining Brain Health
Another benefit of folic acid for health is that it can keep our brain healthy. Because folic acid is believed to prevent the risk of health disorders such as Alzheimer's. This health disorder causes sufferers to experience a decline in memory. This condition often poses a higher risk for the elderly.
Folic acid can provide benefits for maintaining good brain health, including maintaining smooth oxygen flow and red blood cells to the brain. This helps you maintain your ability to remember and prevent a decline in memory risk.
2. Maintaining Heart Health - Promoting Digestive System
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The next benefit of folic acid for health is maintaining heart health and promoting the digestive system. The detailed benefits of folic acid for health are as follows.
3. Maintaining Heart Health
It is known that folic acid can improve blood flow to the heart. Normal or well-functioning blood flow to the heart certainly maximizes the function of this vital organ. In addition, the benefits of folic acid can also prevent the risk of blood clots that cause disruptions in blood flow to the heart. This happens because folic acid plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells.
4. Promoting Digestive System Health
Another benefit of folic acid is that it can promote the health of our digestive system. This is because folic acid can reduce the risk of digestive system disorders such as intestinal inflammation or Crohn's disease. In addition, several digestive system disorders often occur due to a lack of folic acid. Therefore, ensuring an adequate intake of folic acid is important for maintaining the health of our body, including our digestive system.
3. Healthy Skin - Preventing Depression
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Who would have thought that the benefits of folic acid for health can actually promote healthy skin and reduce the level of depression. Because folic acid is known to have antioxidant properties and affects neurotransmitter production. Here is a review of the benefits of folic acid for health.
5. Healthy Skin
The benefits of folic acid for skin health can prevent the risk of acne growth. According to honestdocs.id, the antioxidant effects of folic acid play an important role in maintaining the health of our skin, including being able to fight free radical exposure. However, to get maximum benefits, you also need to know the appropriate portion to meet the folic acid needs.
6. Preventing Depression
Folic acid can prevent depression because it affects the production of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters play a role in controlling our mood and feelings, including often being added to antidepressant prescriptions. In addition, according to honestdocs.id, research suggests that low intake of folic acid in the body is at risk of easily experiencing anxiety, stress, and depression.
4. Important Nutrients for Pregnant Women
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Folic acid is one of the important nutrients for pregnant women. There are various benefits of folic acid that help maintain the health of pregnant women. Among the benefits of folic acid for pregnant women are as follows.
7. Improving Women and Men Fertility
The first benefit of folic acid for pregnant women is that it can help improve fertility. With this benefit, it can certainly support the pregnancy program of husband and wife to conceive. For women, the benefits of folate for fertility can maintain the health of the ovaries.
Meanwhile, for men, the benefits of folic acid can improve the quality and quantity of sperm. With this, the benefits of folic acid can support the preparation of the pregnancy program of husband and wife.
8. Preventing the Risk of Miscarriage
One of the causes of miscarriage is a weak uterus condition. Therefore, a mother needs to maintain a healthy diet that can strengthen the uterus, including meeting the nutritional and vitamin needs such as folic acid. However, also pay attention to the appropriate intake of folic acid for pregnant women to obtain maximum benefits.
9. Reducing the Risk of Birth Defects
Another benefit of folic acid for pregnant women is that it can reduce the risk of abnormalities in the fetus. Because folic acid can prevent premature birth and prevent birth defects in babies. That is why pregnant women need to meet the nutritional and vitamin needs of folic acid.
5. Maintaining Bone and Teeth Health - Preventing Stroke
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The next benefit of folic acid is that it can maintain bone and teeth health and prevent stroke. Here is a more complete explanation of the benefits of folic acid:
10. Maintaining Bone and Teeth Health
The benefits of folic acid for bone and teeth health. Folic acid can prevent the risk of gum disease and maintain the growth of the fetus during pregnancy to prevent the risk of craniofacial defects. In addition, folic acid also plays a role in maintaining bone health to prevent the risk of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
11. Preventing Stroke
The benefits of folic acid can also prevent the risk of stroke. Stroke is often related to the central nervous system. However, it turns out that folic acid can help maintain the health of the central nervous system, thus preventing the risk of stroke. This happens because folic acid supports the formation of red blood cells and prevents blood clotting, which also affects the blood supply to the brain.
6. Foods Rich in Folic Acid
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The sources of foods rich in folic acid or vitamin B9 are varied, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. The foods rich in folic acid are as follows.
- Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, water spinach, asparagus.
- Broccoli.
- Avocado.
- Corn.
- Carrots.
- Legumes such as peas, peanuts, lentils, green beans, soybeans, red beans.
- Lemons or bananas.
- Cereal.
- Protein-rich foods (eggs, seafood, beef liver, salmon, dairy products)
7. Recommended Folic Acid Intake
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Although the body needs folic acid to maintain good health, the amount of folic acid intake also needs to be considered. Especially if you tend to choose folic acid supplements, the proper dosage is needed to prevent certain health risks. Therefore, consulting with a doctor can be done to determine the amount of folic acid intake needed by the body.
According to alodokter.com, the folic acid requirement is also influenced by age, gender, and certain health conditions. However, generally the daily folic acid requirement for individuals above the age of 13 is 400 micrograms. Meanwhile, babies need at least 85-90 micrograms per day.
8. Important Vitamins and Nutrients for the Body
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In addition to folic acid, the body also requires a number of important intake of vitamins and nutrients as listed below. It is important for you to pay attention to keep your body healthy and fit. Here are important vitamins and nutrients for the body.
- Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12, D, E, K.
- Carbohydrates.
- Minerals.
- Protein.
- Healthy fats.
- Fiber.
- Water.
Those are the 11 benefits of folic acid for health, one of which is an important vitamin for pregnant women. However, it is important to note that each person certainly requires different nutritional and vitamin needs in their body, so make sure to get enough intake or even not excessive.
Sources: alodokter.com, honestdocs.id, halodoc.com
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Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.