Are you Vitamin B9 deficient? Find out the signs and solutions.

Are you unusually feeling tired, irritable or facing digestive issues lately? If yes, then you might be dealing with Vitamin B9 deficiency. Vitamin B9 also known as folate is essential for our overall health. It has an impact on everything, from our energy levels to how we are feeling emotionally.

Let us learn more about vitamin B9, how its deficiency affects our body, its causes and easy solutions for boosting our folate levels.

What is Vitamin B9 (Folate) and why is it so important?

Vitamin B9 also known as Folate or Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that helps the body produce and maintain new cells. Vitamin B9 is crucial for our body’s cellular growth and DNA production. It also aids in forming red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Although this vitamin is very important for everyone, it is particularly vital for pregnant women as it helps prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spine.

Folate plays a big role in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. A lack of it can lead to anemia, a condition where you feel very tired and weak. Folate also supports healthy cell growth, making it important for skin, hair, and overall healing.

Common Symptoms of Folate Deficiency

Here are some common symptoms of Vitamin B9 deficiency that could serve as warning signs.

1. Fatigue and Weakness – Are you persistently feeling weak? Are you feeling tired even after a good night’s sleep? Then there are chances that you are folate deficient as chronic fatigue is one of the earliest indicators of folate deficiency. The lack of red blood cells means less oxygen reaches your body’s cells, making you feel constantly drained.

2. Digestive Issues - Vitamin B9 deficiency can sometimes cause gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, constipation, or even frequent stomach pain. Digestive problems are often linked to folate deficiency as folate supports the health of your gut lining.

3. Irritability and Mood swings - If you’re feeling more irritable than usual, it might be time to check your folate intake as folate plays a role in brain function, affecting mood and emotional balance.

4. Anemia – Anemia due to folate deficiency could cause symptoms like shortness of breath, pale skin, and muscle weakness. Anemia reduces our body’s oxygen-carrying capacity, leading to these uncomfortable symptoms.

5. Poor Immunity - Folate is necessary for proper immune function, and a lack of it can make you more susceptible to frequent infections.

6. Mouth sores and Tongue swelling – Mouth sores and tongue swellings are some lesser common signs of low vitamin B9 levels.

Causes of Folate Deficiency

Anyone can develop this deficiency, but there are certain factors that increase the risk of Vitamin B9 deficiency. Here are a few causes of Vitamin B9 deficiency and know if you are at the risk of developing it.

1. Poor Diet – Not including folate-rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, and citrus fruits can be a common cause of deficiency.

2. Alcohol consumption - Excessive alcohol intake can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb folate, leading to a deficiency over time.

3. Pregnancy - Pregnant women require higher levels of folate to support foetal development, making them more prone to this deficiency.

4. Certain Diseases - Diseases like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, chronic kidney disease, certain types of cancer, etc., might affect vitamin B9 absorption, thus causing vitamin B9 deficiency.

Complications due to Vitamin B9 deficiency

Folate deficiency during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects like neural tube defects. Folate is essential for foetal neural tube development, which forms the brain and spinal cord.

Folate helps regulate homocysteine levels in the blood. Elevated homocysteine levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. Folate deficiency has also been linked to cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults.

Solutions to boost Folate levels

1. Eat Vitamin B9 rich foods- Leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, legumes like beans and lentils are high in folate. Also include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons in your diet. Avocados are rich in folate and hence including this in your meal can help you from Vitamin B9 deficiency. Sunflower seeds, peanuts, and almonds are also a good source of folate.

2. Include Supplements if necessary - If you’re unable to meet your folate needs through diet alone, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding then a folic acid supplement may be helpful. It is important to consult your doctor before starting a new supplement.

3. Cut down on Alcohol - Reducing alcohol intake can help improve folate absorption, allowing your body to benefit more from the folate in your diet.

Vitamin B9 is a vital nutrient that people usually tend to overlook. If you have noticed any of these symptoms mentioned above, then a simple blood test can confirm if you need to increase your folic acid intake. Small lifestyle changes and dietary changes can make a huge difference in maintaining healthy folate levels and improving your overall well-being.