What do folate levels indicate?
Folate levels suggest whether someone has enough folic acid, important food in the diet. Health individuals have nanograms between 2.7 and 17.0 per milliliter. If the levels are low, the patient does not have enough folic acid. Higher levels are usually not the cause of concern, but can be associated with malignant anemia and sometimes mask the lack of vitamin B12. The physician may apply for further testing at a high -level patient to learn more.
In order to determine the levels of folate, blood should be drawn. The laboratory can perform this service and analyze blood for folate and other interests. Doctors may ask this test to think that patients have shortcomings of folic acid or pregnant women where the folate levels are special concern. Nervous tube defects in the development of fruits are associated with low folic acid, which is important for women to maintain their intake of folic acid during pregnancy.
If the levels are low, the patient may patter a lack of folate or mightt endangered. The body maintains a storage of this nutrient, but eventually uses it and the patient may begin to develop neurological problems such as dizziness, neuropathy and confusion. Low folate levels can increase the risk of cancer, heart problems and depression. Patients may also feel generally good, with fatigue, swollen mouth and tongue and other unpleasant symptoms. Studies suggest that sperm viability can also decrease.
In the case of high levels, the patient often ate something high containing folic acid and this distorts the test results. Vegetarians naturally have a higher level in many cases, because vegetarian diet may include many sources of folic -rich food, such as dark folic green vegetables. Patients taking folate supplements can also have a high level. The doctor may interview the patient with the high levels of concern. In case of pHighness can recommend more testing to learn more about what is happening in the patient's body.
When the results of this test show a low level, the physician may recommend some dietary changes or add folate supplement. Multiple testing for health conditions that can cause low folate levels in the patient may also be able to ensure that any basic cause above the unbalanced diet is identified and adequately solved by treatment.