Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.
Kat Wikipedia pula, begini maklumatnya:
Folic acid is an important nutrient for women who may become pregnant. Adequate folate intake during the periconceptional period, the time right before and just after a woman becomes pregnant, helps protect against a number of congenital malformations including neural tube defects (which are the most notable birth defects that occur from folate deficiency).[18] Neural tube defects (NTDs) result in malformations of the spine (spina bifida), skull, and brain (anencephaly). The risk of neural tube defects is significantly reduced when supplemental folic acid is consumed in addition to a healthy diet prior to and during the first month following conception.[19][20] The protective effect of folate during pregnancy goes beyond NTDs. Supplementation with folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of congenital heart defects, cleft palate, limb defects, and urinary tract anomalies [21] Women who could become pregnant are advised to eat foods fortified with folic acid or take supplements in addition to eating folate-rich foods to reduce the risk of some serious birth defects. Taking 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid daily from fortified foods and/or supplements has been suggested. The RDA for folate equivalents for pregnant women is 600-800 micrograms, twice the normal RDA of 400 micrograms for women who are not pregnant[22]Pendekkan cerita, asid folik ni supplement penting untuk bakal ibu. Seelok-eloknya ambil 3 bulan sebelum mengandung, dan diteruskan semasa dah mengandung.
Recent research has shown that it is also very important for men who are planning on fathering children, reducing chromosomal defects in their sperm.[23]
Jadi semalam aku pergi la beli kat farmasi. Akak farmasi tu cakap, 1 papan RM1. Aku beli 3 papan dulu, bekalan untuk sebulan. Tak terfikir nak tengok dos nye berapa. Rupa-rupanya akak tu bagi tablet asid folik 5mg, tingginya dos! Aku dah panik, malam tu juga surf Internet untuk cari jalan penyelesaian terbaik. Takkan nak pulangkan, baru 3 hengget.. paisey je.. Dalam Internet kata sebelum mengandung ambil 0.4 mg je, ni 5 mg dah terlebih sudah.. takde kesan sampingan ke kalau terlebih dos ni? Kalau kat Wikipedia, katanya begini:
The risk of toxicity from folic acid is low.[79] The Institute of Medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for folate of 1 mg for adult men and women, and a UL of 800 µg for pregnant and lactating (breast-feeding) women less than 18 years of age. Supplemental folic acid should not exceed the UL to prevent folic acid from masking symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.[80]
Research suggests high levels of folic acid can interfere with some antimalarial[81] treatments.
A 10,000-patient study at Tufts University in 2007 concluded that excess folic acid worsens the effects of B12 deficiency and in fact may affect the absorption of B12. [82]
Nampak macam takde kesan jangka panjang.. Untuk mengesahkan maklumat ni, aku call mak aku, bekas bidan HSA. Memula segan nak cakap, tapi terpaksa gak la tanya.. Dah kena marah sebab tak jumpa doktor dulu sebelum beli (ingat ya pesanan penting ini dalam membeli supplement: DAPATKAN NASIHAT DOKTOR TERLEBIH DAHULU). Tapi yang lucunye mak aku suruh tanya Aai sebab bakal pharmacist mesti tau (bukan bidan lagi tau ek?). Aku pun call Aai lak tanya.. Dengar jawapan Aai baru la lega..
Nasib baik asid folik ni tergolong dari jenis vitamin B, sifatnye yang water-soluble menyebabkan dos yang berlebihan akan dibuang dari badan melalui najis. Aai kata kalau jenis supplement, terlebih makan pun takpe. Lagipun Aai kata boleh pecah-pecahkan, ambik suku tablet je sehari.. Disebabkan keasidannye, dos yang tinggi kadang-kadang akan menyebabkan perut meragam, nak-nak aku yang ada gastrik ni.. mesti sebu nanti..
Jadi hari ni aku pecahkan tablet tu dan amik 1/4 je dari dos asal.. Kalau ikutkan sebenarnya tak ambil supplement pun takpe, kerana asid folik ini banyak dalam sayur-sayuran hijau, buah-buahan, dan bijiran. Dalam susu HL dan roti Gardenia pun ada, cuma yela kita bukannya hari-hari makan buah, dan aku bukannya jenis rajin nak meneliti tulisan halus-halus pada label makanan tu. Aku pula jenis pemilih kalau bab sayur-sayuran ni. Lepas tu nak pastikan pengambilan seharian tu mencukupi, jadi terpaksa la aku ambik asid folik ni hari-hari.. Lagipun ada pendapat mengatakan asid folik ni boleh meningkatkan kesuburan, baik lelaki mahupun perempuan.. Hmm.. Rasa-rasa betul ke..
