Everyone Healthy Library
Folate Deficiency
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
Connected health information
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Linked signs and symptoms
9Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
0No linked drugs are listed yet.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
3Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Vitamins and minerals
2Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
19These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Concentration
- Bleeding Time (Ivy Method)
- Calcitonin (Thyrocalcitonin) Concentration
- Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Gastrin Concentration
- Heamatocrit (Hct)
- Hemoglobin (Hb) A2 Concentration
- Hemoglobin (Hb) Concentration
- Homocysteine Concentration (HCY, Blood)
- Lactate Dehydrogenase Concentration
- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) Weight Test
- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
- Platelet Count
- Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) Test
- Reticulocyte Absolute Count
- Urine Urobilinogen Concentration
- Vitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Biological and test markers
17This visual map uses existing EH database links to show biological agents and lab markers reported as increased, decreased, or associated with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
10- Calcitonin (CT)Reference range exampleAll, Female: 0–14 pg/mL; All, Male: 0–19 pg/mLLinked diagnostic tests1Calcitonin (Thyrocalcitonin) Concentration
- GastrinReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–120 pg/mLLinked diagnostic tests1Gastrin Concentration
- Hemoglobin (Hb)Reference range exampleFemale: 78–100 gm/dL; Male: 76–100 gm/dLLinked diagnostic tests3Hemoglobin (Hb) Concentration, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) Weight Test
- Hemoglobin (Hb) A2Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 1.5–3.5 %; Birth - 2wks: 0–1.8 %Linked diagnostic tests1Hemoglobin (Hb) A2 Concentration
- HomocysteineReference range exampleAll, Female: 4–15 µmol/L; All, Male: 7–16 µmol/LLinked diagnostic tests1Homocysteine Concentration (HCY, Blood)
- Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 120–250 units/L; Adult ( > 16y): 100–200 units/LLinked diagnostic tests1Lactate Dehydrogenase Concentration
- Red Blood Cell (RBC) VolumeReference range example76–100 fLLinked diagnostic tests1Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
- Red Blood Distribution Width (RDW)Reference range exampleAll: 11–14.5 %Linked diagnostic tests1Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) Test
- Template Bleeding TimeReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 2.5–9 MinutesLinked diagnostic tests1Bleeding Time (Ivy Method)
- Urobilinogen (Urine)Reference range exampleAll: 0.1–1 mg/dLLinked diagnostic tests1Urine Urobilinogen Concentration
Often decreased
7- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 30–125 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 40–110 units/LLinked diagnostic tests1Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Concentration
- Folic Acid (Folate)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 14–51 ng/mL; Child (0 - 16y): 5–21 ng/mLLinked diagnostic tests1Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- PlateletsReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 150–450 109/L; Adult ( > 16y): 135–380 109/LLinked diagnostic tests1Platelet Count
- RBC MassReference range exampleFemale: 36–48 %; Male: 42–52 %Linked diagnostic tests1Heamatocrit (Hct)
- Red Blood Cells (RBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 3.6–5 106/mm3; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4.2–5.4 106/mm3Linked diagnostic tests1Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- ReticulocytesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 24–83 109/L; 0.5–1.5 %Linked diagnostic tests2Reticulocyte Absolute Count, Reticulocyte Count Percent Total RBC
- Vitamin B12 (VB12)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 130–670 pmol/LLinked diagnostic tests1Vitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Other associated markers
0No markers in this group.
Introduction / full article
Folate Deficiency
Folate Deficiency
Folate, more commonly known as folic acid, is an important body supplement which aids in the production of red blood cells. Prolonged folate deficiency can result in anaemia. Early signs of folate deficiency are weight loss, soreness of the tongue, headaches and heart palpitations. Inadequate intake of foods with folate like lettuce, asparagus, collard greens, and broccoli is the main cause of folate deficiency. There can also be difficulty in the absorption of folate, especially when the body's metabolism is impaired. An increased requirement for folate, as in during pregnancy, can also lead to folate deficiency.
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Folic Acid ( 4) :
Recommendation: Strongly in favor ( studies show that folate acid will be able to help prevent folate deficiency.)
Grade of Evidence: Moderate level of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary Reference
1. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec01/ch004/ch004c.html?qt=folate%20deficiency&alt=sh#sec01-ch004-ch004c-261
2. http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/folate.asp
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17972439?dopt=Abstract
4. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000354.htm