Vitamin B9 (Bc, folic acid)
The name of this vitamin - folic acid - comes from the Latin word “folium” – “leaf” because vitamin B9 contains mainly in green leafy vegetables. Another name for folic acid is folates.
History of discovery
In 1926, the microbiologist Efremov found specific form of anemia – the megaloblastic anemia among pregnant women . The vitaminology was developing rapidly at the time, so many scientists were conducting research in this area of knowledge. Most attention was drawn to the food factor. Efremov accurately determined the presence of an antianemic factor in the liver – among patients who were treated with liver-made food, there were significant improvements. In 1931, British physician and researcher Lucy Wills, who worked in India for many years, found that among some pregnant women who were suffering from megaloblastic anemia, there were no improvements after the use of purified liver cells extract. However, these women fully recovered after the use of a crude extract. Hence Wills concluded that after clearing some important factors have been destroying, factors that could contribute to recovery. This substance was isolated and soon became known as - Wills factor. Lucy Wills also said that the taking of yeast extract helps to cure anemia among pregnant women. This observation has led researchers to the identification of folate as the main factor acting as a part of the yeast in the late 1930s.
In 1941 R. Stoksted isolated preparation containing nitrogen but devoid of phosphorus and sulfur from the liver. It was named folic acid.
In 1941, it was found that spinach leaves and parsley are rich with this substance.
Folic acid was isolated from green leaves of spinach in 1941, in connection with which got its final name (from Lat. Folium - leaf). Moreover, it took 4 tons spinach to isolate the folic acid for the first time.
What does it do?
The main functions of folic acid - participate in the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin, the regulation of cell division. Therefore, this vitamin is especially important for the growth and development.
Folic acid is required for hematopoiesis, it plays an important role in the metabolism of proteins, the formation of some amino acids in the body, it stimulates the immune system. This vitamin also has a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism in the liver, cholesterol metabolism.
Belonging to the group of B vitamins folic acid is essential for the production of "happiness hormones" - serotonin and norepinephrine. It is actively involved in the metabolism of protein methionine. This creates new hormones and neurotransmitters - molecules that transmit nerve impulses through mental nervous system; this are nerve causative agents - serotonin and norepinephrine.
Both compounds are synthesized with the using of folic acid in the brain, and in so-called vesicles - microscopic vesicles of nerve cells. If, along with other bioactive substances there are not sufficient amounts of folic acid, the following happens: people just actively and dynamically try to find the solution to the problem, which bring them stress, but they lack the euphoria - the same excitement that is caused by noradrenaline. If the body lacks noradrenaline, then the adrenal cortex releases adrenaline into the blood to deal with stress. Adrenaline can be described as an animal pathogen, and norepinephrine - as a hormone of optimism that have been developing in the human nervous system for hundreds of thousands of years and that distinguishes us from animals.
The scope of this vitamin is mainly brain and nervous system. It is a dynamic part of the cerebrospinal fluid.
The interaction of folic acid, vitamin B12 and methionine amino acids, which play a major role in our health is very important for our mental health. B12 converts homocysteine to methionine protein, which in turn helps folic acid molecules in the synthesis of nucleic acids in the nuclei cells. This process repeats for a thousand times every second in the spinal cord which is responsible for the production of blood. Because blood cells are continuously formed here, it is necessary to ensure the continued cell division.
Folic acid has an important purpose - it supplies carbon required for the synthesis of the iron-containing protein in the blood pigment hemoglobin; without it is impossible to manufacture red blood cells.
Participating in the process of hematopoiesis, it increases the efficiency of iron through stimulating the formation of red blood cells.
Deficiency leads to disruption of hematopoiesis, to accumulation of homocysteine in the blood plasma, which is a marker of atherosclerotic changes.
Folic acid is required for the synthesis of nucleic acids containing genetic information. Therefore, it is indispensable for the growth process, "repair" and replace of the 70 trillion cells in our body.
Folic acid in form of its cofactor, namely tetrahydrofolic acid, participates in many metabolic functions such as the formation of red blood cells (along with vitamin B12), as well as the metabolism and digestion of protein and amino acids.
Recent studies have shown that a lack of vitamin B9 is connected with the appearance of congenital neurological defects, so folic acid is began to add to the various processed foods.
Where you can find folic acid?
Folic acid is found in the leaves of plants, especially in dark-green vegetables and salads; in a small amount it is synthesized by the intestinal microflora.
Liver, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, egg yolk, milk, cheese, salmon, tuna are rich with it. One of the best sources of folic acid is yeast.
It is very unstable vitamin. It is rapidly degraded by cooking, by protein deficiency, as well as vitamin C, B6, B12 deficiency, under the influence of light, heat, and cannot withstand long-term storage at room temperature.
Stability of folic acid is low. Thus, the loss of it after cooking vegetables reaches 70-90%, during frying of meat - 95%, and during cooking eggs - 20-50%. Canning of vegetables significantly reduces the content of vitamins in it, but the process of canned food storage does not affect the concentration.
Folic acid "does not like" water, sunlight, heat, food processing (especially cooking).
How much vitamin folic acid do you need?
Every day, we need only 100 mcg of folic acid. It's 100 millionth of a gram. For pregnant women, the dose is increased to 150 micrograms. But this does not mean that consumption of vitamin-can be satisfied if we take the appropriate amount folic acid with our food. Healthy people with well-functioning digestive system lose up to half of all the molecules of folic acid from food. Alcohol, drugs, vitamin B12 deficiency, intake of contraceptives, liver disease, and so on contribute to the destruction or removal from the body of folic acid. D. Because of interaction with methionine requires large amounts of folic acid, methionine-rich foods like cheese or meat may also lead to folic acid deficiency. Methionine is hardly found in plant foods.
Those who tans a lot, an extra dose of folic acid is required, as each ray of sunshine breaks its molecules.
Finally, energetic, restless people need additional portions of this vitamin. This applies primarily to our children who cannot sit still, do not have a "loose" and also grow very fast.
Lack and excess
Folic acid deficiency is very common and leads to anemia, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite and a variety of psychiatric symptoms. In case of overdose there could be swelling in the intestines, increased excitability of the nervous system, along with seizures.
