Five Key Points to Correctly Supplementing Folic Acid

　　Many mothers may not be familiar with it, but folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. Although folic acid may seem inconspicuous in the human body, it is an essential factor for the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids. It is indispensable for the rapid proliferation of hemoglobin, red blood cells, and white blood cells, amino acid metabolism, and the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids such as DNA in the brain. It plays an indispensable role in the human body.

　　Five Key Points to Correctly Supplementing Folic Acid

　　1. Look for folic acid foods

　　The following foods contain folic acid:

　　Green vegetables: lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, greens, asparagus, cauliflower, rape, cabbage, lentils, pods, mushrooms, etc.

　　Fresh fruits oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, lemons, peaches, plums, apricots, bayberries, crabapples, jujubes, hawthorns, pomegranates, Grape , kiwi, strawberry, pear, walnut, etc.

　　Animal food: animal liver, kidney, poultry and eggs, such as pork liver, chicken, beef, mutton, etc.

　　Beans and nut foods: soybeans, soy products, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc.

　　Cereal barley, rice bran, wheat germ, brown rice, etc.

　　2. Expectant parents should make up for it together

　　Pregnant mothers are sometimes careless in the early stages of pregnancy and are not sure that they are pregnant, and may miss the best time to supplement folic acid.

　　Some experts suggest that you may be pregnant or planning to have a baby. female You should pay attention to supplementing folic acid every day to prevent yourself from being unprepared and caught off guard when the baby comes to "check in". For those who plan to be a father male Generally speaking, insufficient folic acid will reduce the concentration of semen and may also cause sperm Abnormal chromosome segregation will cause serious diseases to future babies disease great possibility.

　　Expectant fathers and expectant mothers who are planning to do so should not forget to take folic acid supplements!

　　3. Supplement 600 mg per day

　　The total amount of folic acid in the human body is about 5-6 mg. However, the human body cannot synthesize folic acid on its own and can only absorb it from food and digest it.

　　The baby continues to grow and develop in the mother's body. The mother's folic acid is transferred to him through the placenta, and the placental tissue and Uterus With the continuous growth of human body, the demand for folic acid is increasing. If it cannot be supplemented consciously, the level of folic acid will be reduced.

　　Experts believe that pregnant mothers need to supplement 600-800 micrograms of folic acid every day to meet their baby's growth needs and their own needs.

　　4. Critical period for folic acid supplementation

　　fetus During this period, the brain develops earliest and most rapidly； The first trimester (3-6 weeks) is the fetal center nerve critical period for system growth and development.

　　Primitive brain vesicles are formed in the embryo at the end of the fourth week of pregnancy. Although the fetus is only about 3 centimeters in length and only gains more than 2 grams in weight at the eighth week, its brain cells proliferate rapidly at this time and are most susceptible to teratogenic factors. If folic acid is supplemented at this critical time, the risk of fetal neural tube disease can be reduced by 50%-70%.

　　5. Folic acid should not be taken excessively

　　1) Long-term use of folic acid will interfere with the zinc metabolism of pregnant mothers. Once zinc intake is insufficient, it will affect the development of the fetus.

　　2) It is best for pregnant mothers to take folic acid preparations under the guidance of a doctor. Currently, the only folic acid supplement on the market that has been approved by the national health department to prevent fetal neural tube defects is "Slion" tablets, each tablet contains 400 micrograms.

　　3) If you have ever given birth to a neural tube defect baby For women who are pregnant again, it is best to Hospital Check and follow your doctor's advice to increase your daily folic acid intake until 12 weeks after pregnancy.

　　4) Long-term use of birth control pills, anticonvulsants, etc. before pregnancy may interfere with the metabolism of folic acid and other vitamins. Women planning to become pregnant are best to stop taking medications 6 months before pregnancy and take folic acid and other vitamin supplements.