Low folic acid advice

[Jaid123]

Hi, i have been having some light headedness in last week and have had a burning tongue for a couple of months. A blood test on Thursday revealed low folic acid and i have been put on 5mg folic acid for 3 months. I have come onto this forum as when i try and research low folic acid it seems to attach it to pernicious anaemia. Do i therefore have pernicious anaemia? I have over 10 years had breathing issues also.. .. Intermittently for which i have been treated for asthma but i am now wondering if it has been the low folic acid all that time?? Would appreciate any advice and wonder how long does it take to get back to normal. Many thanks Jaid.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Jaid123 Pernicious Anaemia is caused by a lack of vitamin B12 not folic acid or folate.

We derive folate by eating vegetables, cabbage, sprouts, peas, beans etc. Folic acid is also to be found in certain breakfast cereals - read the lists usually at the side of the package for Folate, Folic acid or Vitamin B9

Some of the symptoms of folate deficiency mimic those of a B12 deficiency - so did the blood test cover B12?

What you have been prescribed will certainly "bump up" your levels and hopefully your symptoms will improve but in the meantime it would be a good idea if you and your doctor try to determine why you became deficient in the first place. Maybe a referral to a dietitian would help.

I am not medically trained and I wish you well

[Jaid123 in reply to clivealive]

Many thanks for your reply. I suspect it might be related to taking nexium for indigestion for a few months.... I was self meficating. I will speak with doctor to get mote information. Thank you for your advice -, really appreciated 👍💗

[Nackapan]

My daughter had very low folate levels as well as very low b12. The labs often test them at the same same. A good practice at the start. Also was missed for many years.

If Low, b12 is treated first .

A 3montb courses prescription of 5mg of folic acid should be more thsn enough . A blood test should be done after the course. Then a much lower maintenence dose.

My daughter needs 400mcg every day ti mzintsin the levels even though she eats plenty of greens chick peas ect.

I on the other hand absorb my folate from food and 400mcg daily of folic acid took me over range .

Depending on your absorption, diet and blood results yiu will find a maintenence dose.

You should see improvements once your levels up and maintained.

Get a copy of your blood results.

See if ferritin iron vit d ect were also done.

Once deficient in one thing there might be others.

I still do not know why I'm absorbing some things but nort others. I eat them all and have always had a very good mixed diet . Just assumed for too long I was absorbing and using it. So never took supplements. A sign for me was very low vitamin d . That was the first supplement i took and had loading doses. Now a daily maintenance dose. A few years later b12 then ferritin

Low stomach acid is one reason.

H'pylori another

Medications you might be on.

Ect.

Ask your doctor

Hope you get improvements soon.

PA is an autoimmune disease

When you lack intrinsic factor to process b12 from food.

Your doctor may have done an intrinsic antybody test. Best done before any b12 taken. 50:% of those with PA picked up.i was given a parietal cell antybody test and liver tests. All Gps differ with this. ??

I'm guessing your b12 level would've been done at the same time as folate.

Keep us posted how you get on.

We learn from each other

[Jaid123 in reply to Nackapan]

Thanks so much. I think it might be because i have had indigestion for a few months and was self medicating with nexium which i have now discoveted can inhibit b vitamin absorption. I will sprak to doctor next week to find out what other tests were actually done as i understood that it was a full health screen bloods that was done. Thank you so much for your help and advice - really appreciated 💗💗

[Nackapan in reply to Jaid123]

Hope you get some answers and some relief soon. Keep us posted