That One Vitamin Every Young Women Needs
If you are capable of procreating, this article is for you — even if you are not thinking about getting pregnant.
I am calling out those altruistic women who always put others first and do not care much about themselves. Several women do not care about feeding the right nutrients to their body. Little do they know that their body requires all the right nutrients!
Do you know which vitamin B you should be taking if you are capable of getting pregnant? That one vitamin is Vitamin B9 or Folic acid! But why is it so essential? Before jumping towards its benefits, let’s discuss the basics first.
How is Folate different from Folic Acid?
Please do not get confused by these names because they both are Vitamin B9. However, you might be wondering how these forms differ from one another. The only difference is one occurs naturally, and the other one is man-made.
- Folic Acid
It is a synthetic or man-made form of folate. Our body converts it into an active and usable form. Moreover, this synthetic vitamin is also used in supplements and fortified foods like cereal, bread, pasta, and rice.
- Folate
This B-vitamin is present naturally in various whole foods like beans, fruits, and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin B9 — A Water-Loving Vitamin
Vitamin B9 is water-soluble; it means the body does not store it to use it for later purposes. The leftovers leave the body through urine.
So, if your dietitian says that taking slightly more folate than the recommended amount is not a problem, it’s because it’s B9 (pun intended).
How Vitamin B9 Benefits Women?
If you are not thinking about becoming a mom, your body still requires adequate amounts of folate. Why? Because it plays a vital role in cell function, DNA production, and tissue growth.
Plus, it partners up with other B-vitamins like Vitamin C, B12, and B6 to break and create new proteins. Moreover, folate is essential as cells are constantly regenerating. The shedding and formation of new skin and daily growth of hair and nails all require folate.
So, is it necessary to take Folate every day?
Several women are too busy to eat right because of their fast-paced lifestyle. Furthermore, the food you are consuming might not provide all the nutrients that you need. Since you read above that folic acid does not store in your body, it makes this vitamin an everyday must-have.
Therefore, taking a supplement every day provides all the necessary folic acid you need. If you do not like to pop multivitamin every day, you can only go for a folic acid supplement. These supplements are available liquid and chewable options as well.
How Vitamin B9 Plays a Pivotal Role in Pregnancy?
Why bother taking this supplement when we aren’t even thinking of having a baby? The answer is easy: CDC highlights that almost 45% of the pregnancies are unplanned in the US.
Several doctors will tell you to stop smoking to prevent lung cancer, but they won’t mention that this vitamin is necessary to give birth to a healthy baby.
Congenital disabilities of the spine and brain usually happen in the first few weeks of the pregnancy. Therefore, all women who are thinking of having a baby should include folic acid in their diet.
A new survey cited in Webmd shows that around 31% of women between 18 and 45 regularly take the folic acid supplement.
Moreover, around 10% of women are aware that folic acid should be taken before pregnancy to prevent severe congenital disabilities. Lack of folic acid leads to neural tube effects — a fatal condition in which a baby is born with an underdeveloped spinal cord and brain.
Not to mention, this vitamin is vital in keeping anemia at bay. A whole new human is growing inside your body; therefore, your body demands to create more red blood cells for the developing fetus.
When the body has depleted folic acid levels, abnormally large red blood cells form, and this condition is called vitamin-deficient anemia. Therefore, expectant mothers are advised to take folic acid regularly to produce healthy red blood cells.
How Much Vitamin B9 is enough?
The US Public Health Service and CDC recommend that adult women should take 400 micrograms daily. During pregnancy, the requirement increases to 600 micrograms, and in the lactation period 500 micrograms.
Better to be Safe Than Sorry — Wrap Up
These are all the good reasons that all women should start taking folic acid. If you are trying to get pregnant and are not taking folic acid supplements, start having them before it’s too late.
