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Folic acid deficiency: symptoms, causes and treatment

Constantly tired, pale, tongue burning? Folate is the vitamin of cell division, and it's more commonly lacking in Germany than many people think. Which symptoms are typical, why weight gain isn't one of them, which blood value counts, and what helps.

Folatquellen im Überblick: Spinat, Brokkoli, Spargel, Edamame, Linsen, Kichererbsen, Sonnenblumenkerne, Orange und Eier.
B9Folic acid
Folate sources at a glance: spinach, broccoli, asparagus, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, orange and eggs.

The essentials in 30 seconds

Daily requirement
300µg

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends 300 µg of folate equivalents per day from age 13, 550 µg for pregnant women, 450 µg for breastfeeding women. The National Nutrition Survey found a median of 283 µg in men and 252 µg in women.

How long your stores last
8–16weeks

Your body only stores 12 to 28 mg of folate, half of it in the liver. If you take in too little over weeks, you slide into a deficiency; with vitamin B12, that takes years.

The value that counts
3 ng/ml

Below this, there's a folate deficiency in the serum; between 3 and 4.4 ng/ml the value is borderline. Always measure it together with a blood count and vitamin B12.

The partner you can't do without
Vitamin B12

High-dose folic acid can also fix the blood count even when the real problem is a B12 deficiency; the nerve damage then continues unnoticed. So: check B12 first, then take folic acid.

01 Recognise

Folic acid deficiency symptoms: how to recognise it

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, provides the building blocks for new DNA. Without it, the cells that renew themselves fastest can't keep up: first the red blood cells, then the mucous membranes in the mouth and gut, and with a delay, the nervous system. The symptoms show up in this order: tiredness and pallor, a burning tongue, diarrhoea, and later concentration problems and low mood. The list below helps you recognise your own pattern.

Interactive

Which signs do you recognise in yourself?

Tap what applies to you. You'll then see how many typical signs add up.

Early signs: tiredness, pallor, burning tongue

It's almost always the blood that shows the first signs. Without DNA building blocks, the precursors of red blood cells keep growing but stop dividing properly: too few, too large cells, known as megaloblastic anaemia. Reduced oxygen transport feels like leaden tiredness, plus pallor, heart palpitations and shortness of breath on exertion. Next come the mucous membranes: the tongue burns, becomes smooth and red, taste changes, the corners of the mouth crack, and in the gut, the same mechanism shows up as diarrhoea and loss of appetite. If you're losing weight now, it's because of your appetite. A blood test clears this up within a day.

Exhausted woman sitting at the kitchen table in the morning, head resting in her hand: persistent tiredness and paleness are early signs of a folic acid deficiency
Tired despite eight hours of sleep: with a folic acid deficiency, the bone marrow lacks the building blocks for new red blood cells.

Neurological symptoms of folic acid deficiency

Folic acid deficiency affects the nerves rarely and late. Neurologist Edward Reynolds lists: problems with concentration and memory, confusion up to dementia in older people, depression, irritability, sleep problems, and much more rarely, polyneuropathy. Nerve symptoms and anaemia often don't occur together: the blood count can be normal while the mind is already affected. A Japanese study of 18 patients describes the neuropathy: it starts in the legs, mainly affecting the sense of position and vibration, and only seven had enlarged blood cells. So tingling in the hands and feet is possible, but it should first raise suspicion of vitamin B12 deficiency, and both are measured before anyone takes folic acid.

Folate deficiency or vitamin B12 deficiency?

Points to folate
  • Blood count first: tiredness, pallor, shortness of breath, enlarged red blood cells
  • Tongue burns, corners of the mouth crack, diarrhoea, appetite gone
  • Mood and concentration suffer, tingling is usually absent
  • Develops over weeks to months: little veg, alcohol, methotrexate, the pill, coeliac disease
  • If you otherwise eat healthily and aren't vegan, this is more likely to be your issue
Points to B12
  • Nerves first: tingling and numbness in feet and hands, unsteady gait, memory gaps
  • Blood count can still be normal at this stage
  • Develops over years: stores last a long time
  • Vegan, stomach acid blockers, metformin, over 60, gastrointestinal surgery
  • Folic acid alone would improve the blood count here while nerve damage keeps getting worse

Both values are always measured together, because the blood counts look similar but the treatment differs (Devalia 2014, Reynolds 2014, Koike 2015). If there's tingling, think of B12 first.

Folic acid deficiency symptoms in women

The symptoms are the same for women and men, but the risks differ. Women of childbearing age in Germany actually have slightly higher folate levels than men, but for a possible pregnancy they need a level that hardly anyone reaches (chapter 7).

The pill measurably lowers folate levels, as shown by a meta-analysis of 2,831 women; if you stop taking it because you want to conceive, start taking folic acid straight away. During pregnancy, your need almost doubles. Hair loss is possible with a pronounced deficiency, but the evidence is thin; diffuse hair loss in women is far more often linked to iron, the thyroid, or the end of a pregnancy.

When to see a doctor

If you have persistent tiredness with pallor, a burning tongue, shortness of breath or hair loss, see a doctor soon and get your blood count, folate, vitamin B12, ferritin and thyroid checked. Call emergency services (112) for shortness of breath at rest, chest pain, confusion or sudden paralysis. Mention any methotrexate, anti-epileptic drugs or sulfasalazine at your appointment.

Folic acid deficiency and weight gain

Weight gain is not a symptom of folic acid deficiency, in any guideline. If a deficiency affects weight at all, it's downwards, through loss of appetite and diarrhoea. If you're exhausted for weeks, you move less and eat differently, and your weight can go up without the vitamin having anything to do with it. Many people also look for side effects of folic acid tablets: the patient information for a 5 mg preparation lists gastrointestinal issues at very high doses, allergic reactions and sleep problems, but not weight gain. If you're gaining weight and feeling tired, get your thyroid, vitamin B12 and ferritin checked along with folate in one blood test; these three explain the combination far more often.

Folic acid deficiency in men

Same symptoms, different risks. According to the National Nutrition Survey, men eat slightly more folate than women, but drink alcohol regularly more often, which is the number one cause in men. The second big question for men is fertility: folic acid is in almost every supplement "for men". The largest study on this tested 5 mg of folic acid plus 30 mg of zinc over six months against placebo in 2,370 couples undergoing fertility treatment: no better sperm quality, no higher birth rate. A genuine deficiency should be corrected, but folic acid as a fertility booster without an actual deficiency has no basis.

02 Causes

Causes of folic acid deficiency: where the deficiency comes from

There are four routes to a folic acid deficiency: too little intake, too little absorption, too much usage, or a medication that blocks folate metabolism. The first is the most common. The National Nutrition Survey found a median intake of 283 µg a day for men and 252 µg for women, below today's recommendation of 300 µg. To clarify the terms: folate is the natural vitamin found in food, folic acid is the synthetic form found in tablets; in everyday language, folic acid deficiency means folate deficiency.

Interactive

How much folate do you need per day?

140µg per day

Child 4–6 years: Children need 120 µg (1 to 3 years), 140 µg (4 to 6), 180 µg (7 to 9) and 240 µg (10 to 12), all folate equivalents according to the DGE. A portion of peas, a floret of broccoli and a glass of orange juice already cover this for little ones.

Too few vegetables, cooked too long: the most common cause

Folate is sensitive: water-soluble, and sensitive to heat and light. A measurement from Ulster University shows what the cooking pot costs you: after boiling in water, spinach retained 49% of its folate, broccoli 44%; steaming caused no loss at all. If you boil vegetables until soft, pour away the water and reheat the leftovers, you end up absorbing only half of what's listed in the table. Then there's the quantity factor: the main folate sources in the nutrition survey weren't spinach and lentils but fortified drinks, followed by bread, vegetables, dairy products and fruit.

Dietary folate ≈ 50%

actually reaches the body from spinach, lentils or salad: the gut first has to break down the long folate chain, and part of it is lost during cooking and storage

Synthetic folic acid ≈ 100%

is absorbed from tablets and fortified products, which is why 1 µg folic acid counts as 2 µg dietary folate (DGE folate equivalents)

Folic acid deficiency caused by medication

Some medications interfere directly with folate metabolism. Methotrexate, used for rheumatism, psoriasis and cancer treatment, blocks the enzyme that activates folic acid; that's why rheumatism patients routinely receive folic acid alongside it, on a different day of the week. Sulfasalazine and the antibiotic trimethoprim work in a similar way. Anti-epileptic drugs lower levels over years; here the neurologist sets the dose, because folic acid weakens some active substances. Then there's the pill, triamterene and metformin, which also disrupts B12 absorption. And alcohol disrupts absorption, storage and utilisation all at once: of 211 people starting withdrawal treatment, 23% had a folate deficiency in their serum.

Coeliac disease, bowel conditions, increased need

Folate is absorbed in the upper small intestine; anything that damages this section lowers the level. In coeliac disease, folate deficiency is the classic lab finding; even on a gluten-free diet, 7% still had a deficiency in a study of 825 patients. Crohn's disease, small bowel surgery and gastric reduction surgery have a similar effect. On the other side is consumption: pregnancy, growth, chronic haemolysis, psoriasis, dialysis; folic acid is given routinely in these cases. The MTHFR gene variant only slows activation slightly; the American Society of Human Genetics advises against testing for it, because it doesn't change treatment.

03 Understand

How folate works in the body

Three stops from plate to cell. Understanding them explains why deficiency develops so quickly, why blood counts react first, and why folic acid can become dangerous without vitamin B12.

1

Absorption

Dietary folate exists as a long chain that the small intestine first has to break down; only about half of it actually gets absorbed. Synthetic folic acid from tablets is almost completely absorbed and activated in the liver. The active form is called 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and it's this form that circulates in the blood. A store of 12 to 28 mg, half of it in the liver, lasts for two to four months.

2

Cell division

Folate carries carbon building blocks to wherever new DNA is being built. Every cell that divides needs it. The cells that divide most are the precursors of red blood cells in the bone marrow, the mucosal cells in the mouth and gut, and, in early pregnancy, the cells of the embryo. Without enough folate, cells grow but can't divide: large, immature, too few.

3

The B12 cycle

Folate only releases its methyl group when vitamin B12 is on hand as a partner. This converts homocysteine into methionine and frees up folate again for DNA synthesis. Without B12, folate stays trapped in its methyl form: your folate level can look normal, yet it's still missing where DNA is being built. High-dose folic acid bypasses this trap for the blood, but not for the nerves.

04 Diagnosis

Folate value: how a folic acid deficiency is diagnosed

Folate is measured in blood serum, in nanograms per millilitre or nanomoles per litre (1 ng/ml = 2.27 nmol/l). The British guideline for blood disorders recommends the serum value as the first-choice test. It reacts quickly: it drops as early as one to three weeks after starting a low-folate diet and rises briefly after a folate-rich meal, so have blood drawn in the morning on an empty stomach.

The three stages of folate deficiency

  1. 1 Borderline3–4.4 ng/ml

    Stores are shrinking, but the blood count is usually still normal. Clarify the cause, adjust your diet, and take a low-dose supplement if risk factors are present. Check again after two to three months.

  2. 2 Deficiency< 3 ng/ml

    The body is in negative folate balance. Check blood count and vitamin B12; homocysteine is usually elevated. Treatment with milligram-dose folic acid once a B12 deficiency has been ruled out.

  3. 3 Deficiency with anaemia< 3 ng/ml + MCV > 100 fl

    Red blood cells are enlarged, haemoglobin has dropped, and white blood cells and platelets are often reduced too. Requires medical treatment, finding the cause, and a follow-up blood count after four to eight weeks.

Limits according to the US Institute of Medicine (serum folate below 3 ng/ml = negative balance, red blood cell folate below 140 ng/ml = empty stores) and the WHO threshold of 10 nmol/l, i.e. 4.4 ng/ml, for sufficient supply. Some laboratories use their own reference ranges, in which case those apply. If you have symptoms, the symptom matters, not the stage.

What else the lab checks: blood count, vitamin B12, homocysteine

A low folate value is a finding, not a diagnosis. In the blood count, mean cell volume (MCV) rises above 100 femtolitres and haemoglobin falls. A B12 deficiency produces the same picture, which is why vitamin B12 should always be checked too, ideally as holotranscobalamin. Homocysteine is elevated in both deficiencies, while methylmalonic acid is only elevated in B12 deficiency; this is what distinguishes the two. Red blood cell folate shows supply over the last three to four months and is the value the WHO uses to define protection against neural tube defects. If the cause remains unclear, ferritin, coeliac antibodies and the medication list are checked next.

Blood draw at the GP surgery: folate, blood count and vitamin B12 are determined from a single sample
One tube, four answers: folate, vitamin B12, blood count and ferritin reveal whether the tiredness comes from folate or something else.

Folic acid deficiency test: who should get tested

Screening without reason isn't very useful, since most people in Germany get enough. Testing makes sense when symptoms coincide with a risk situation; in that case, health insurance covers it. There's no quick home test; self-tests simply send the sample to a lab.

Who should know their level:

  • Trying to conceive and pregnancy, especially after stopping the pill
  • Little vegetables, salad and pulses, for example during diets or reduced appetite in old age
  • Regular high alcohol intake
  • Coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, stomach or bowel surgery
  • Methotrexate, sulfasalazine, trimethoprim, anti-epileptic drugs, triamterene, metformin
  • Dialysis, chronic haemolysis, psoriasis
  • Older people with forgetfulness or low mood, together with B12
Before the test

Go in the morning on an empty stomach, since a folate-rich meal briefly raises the serum value. Take folic acid supplements and multivitamins only after the blood draw, as they falsely inflate the result. Bring your medication list, including the pill and any supplements. Have vitamin B12 checked at the same time.

05 Treatment

Fixing folic acid deficiency: What actually helps

Treatment has two parts: addressing the cause and refilling the stores. For a borderline finding without anaemia, dietary changes are often enough: salad or steamed green vegetables daily, pulses two to three times a week, less alcohol. For a confirmed deficiency, doctors prescribe milligram-dose folic acid, usually 5 mg tablets, available at pharmacies without a prescription. This is where the risk lies: for anaemia with enlarged cells, folic acid is contraindicated without ruling out B12 deficiency first, according to the patient information leaflet.

Folic acid tablets: dose, duration, combination with B12

The dose depends on the reason. To refill stores, 5 mg a day is common, twelve times the pre-conception dose. This is taken for several months, until a whole new generation of red blood cells has formed under good supply. With methotrexate, folic acid is given long-term, usually 5 mg once a week, the day after; it reduces side effects without interfering with the drug's effect. With anti-epileptic drugs, the neurologist sets the dose. If you have both B12 and folate issues, B12 comes first, then folic acid. 400 µg from the drugstore is too weak for treating a deficiency, but exactly right for prevention when trying to conceive.

Before anyone takes milligram doses of folic acid, I want to see the vitamin B12 value. Folic acid can correct the blood count even with a B12 deficiency present, and the nerve damage then continues unnoticed. That's the one mistake you must not make with this vitamin.

Joerg Hauke, Nutrition expert, technical review of this article

How long does it take to fix a folic acid deficiency?

Blood is quick, the head is slow. The serum value rises within days of taking folic acid, and the first new blood cells appear after about a week. Tiredness and paleness improve over four to eight weeks, the time haemoglobin needs; the tongue recovers sooner. Stores are full again after a few months. The nervous system takes longest: mood and concentration recover over weeks to months. A pure folate deficiency is fully curable. If the underlying cause continues, such as a medication or bowel condition, folic acid remains a permanent companion.

Folic acid side effects: too much folic acid and what happens

You can't overdose on natural folate from food, as the body excretes the excess. For synthetic folic acid, an upper limit of 1,000 µg a day applies; the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment plays it safe with 200 µg as the maximum amount for food supplements.

The problem above this limit isn't poisoning, but masking: folic acid corrects the anaemia caused by a B12 deficiency, which can then go undetected for years until tingling, gait problems and memory issues appear. On top of that, unmetabolised folic acid circulates in the blood at high doses, and its significance is still being researched. Weight gain doesn't appear in any patient information leaflet or study.

Don't go it alone

If you have anaemia with enlarged cells, feel tingling, live vegan or take stomach acid blockers, get your vitamin B12 checked first. Under anti-epileptics, methotrexate or during cancer therapy, every folic acid dose belongs in a doctor's hands. Above 1,000 µg it's therapy, not a food supplement.

06 Nutrition

Folic acid foods: What contains a lot of folate

Folate comes from the Latin folium, meaning leaf: leafy greens, lettuce, cabbage, asparagus, pulses, seeds and wheat germ are the densest sources, plus liver. The ranking shows values per 100 g as eaten: pulses, asparagus and spinach cooked, liver cooked through, lettuce and seeds raw (USDA). If the numbers seem lower than elsewhere: many tables calculate with raw produce, around 340 µg for dry chickpeas; cooked, it's 172 µg.

Folate per 100 g: top 10 plant-based and animal sources

  1. Edamame (cooked): 311 µg
  2. Wheat germ: 281 µg
  3. Sunflower seeds: 227 µg
  4. Lentils (cooked): 181 µg
  5. Chickpeas (cooked): 172 µg
  6. Black beans (cooked): 149 µg
  7. Green asparagus (cooked): 149 µg
  8. Spinach (cooked): 146 µg
  9. Romaine lettuce (raw): 136 µg
  10. Kidney beans (cooked): 130 µg

Per 100 g cooked or raw, USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, folate equivalents. In servings: 200 g cooked lentils 362 µg, 150 g cooked spinach 219 µg, a bowl of romaine lettuce (80 g) 109 µg, 30 g sunflower seeds 68 µg, half an avocado 81 µg, an orange 45 µg. For comparison: 200 g pasta 14 µg, a slice of wholemeal bread 17 µg.

Daily folic acid requirement: How to reach 300 µg

A day without a tablet: wholemeal bread with egg in the morning, 40 µg. A lentil soup for lunch with 200 g cooked lentils, 362 µg, and the day's requirement is covered. If you eat pasta instead (14 µg), you need the rest of the day: a salad of romaine, rocket and tomatoes (about 130 µg), 150 g steamed broccoli (160 µg), an orange (45 µg), sunflower seeds on your muesli (68 µg).

Folate-rich foods on a light background: lentils, green asparagus, edamame, spinach, romaine lettuce, chickpeas, orange, sunflower seeds, eggs and broccoli
One serving of pulses, salad or steamed green vegetables daily, seeds on your muesli: that's all it takes for 300 µg.

Two patterns: pulses are the lever, one serving covers the day. Without them you need salad or green vegetables daily, steamed or raw, not overcooked.

If you boil spinach in water instead of steaming it, you lose half of it (192 down to 94 µg per 100 g). Keeping food warm and reheating also cost folate every time, as does long storage: buy fresh, store cool and dark, use quickly. During pregnancy with 550 µg, even this is tight, which is why the supplement belongs there too. If you like liver, it's easy: 100 g of chicken liver covers your requirement almost twice over, except during pregnancy.

Interactive

How much folate is in …?

Type in a food or filter by traffic light colour. The number is the folate content in µg per 100 g, as eaten. Green: high in folate (from 60 µg, the EU threshold for "high folic acid content"), yellow: source of folate (30 to 59 µg), red: low in folate (under 30 µg). The note shows the serving size.

  • Chicken liver 578cooked; 100 g covers your daily requirement almost twice over; not recommended during pregnancy due to vitamin A
  • Lamb liver 400fried; not during pregnancy
  • Veal liver 331braised; not during pregnancy
  • Edamame green soybeans 311cooked; 100 g = a handful of pods
  • Wheat germ 281raw on muesli; 20 g = 56 µg
  • Beef liver 253braised; not during pregnancy
  • Sunflower seeds 227dry; 30 g = 68 µg
  • Spinach raw 194raw in salad; 60 g = 116 µg
  • Lentils brown, green 181cooked; 200 g = 362 µg, covers the day
  • Chickpeas 172cooked; 150 g = 258 µg; dry ones are listed as 340 µg in tables
  • Pinto beans 172cooked; 150 g = 258 µg
  • Pig liver 163braised; not during pregnancy
  • Parsley fresh 152raw; 10 g chopped = 15 µg
  • Rye bread 151one slice (50 g) = 76 µg; US value with fortified flour, German rye bread is lower
  • Black beans 149cooked; 150 g = 224 µg
  • Green asparagus 149cooked; 250 g = 372 µg; steaming preserves more
  • Spinach cooked 146cooked; 150 g = 219 µg; boiling in water loses half
  • Egg yolk 146the yolk of one egg (17 g) = 25 µg
  • Endive 142raw; 80 g = 114 µg
  • White beans navy 140cooked; 150 g = 210 µg
  • Romaine lettuce 136raw; 80 g = 109 µg
  • Kidney beans 130cooked; 150 g = 195 µg
  • Hazelnuts 113raw; 30 g = 34 µg
  • Broccoli 108cooked; 150 g = 162 µg; steaming preserves more
  • Great Northern beans 102cooked; 150 g = 153 µg
  • Walnuts 98raw; 30 g = 29 µg
  • Peanuts roasted 97roasted; 30 g = 29 µg; raw ones are listed as 240 µg in tables
  • Rocket 97raw; 30 g = 29 µg
  • Sesame seeds 97dry; 15 g = 15 µg
  • Fish roe caviar substitute 92cooked; 30 g = 28 µg
  • Artichoke 89cooked; 120 g = 107 µg
  • Linseed 87dry; 15 g = 13 µg
  • Lima beans 83cooked; 150 g = 124 µg
  • Avocado 81raw; half (100 g) = 81 µg
  • Beetroot cooked 80cooked; 150 g = 120 µg
  • Mussels 76cooked; 150 g meat = 114 µg
  • Cashews 69roasted; 30 g = 21 µg
  • Kale 65cooked; 150 g = 98 µg
  • Brie 6530 g = 20 µg
  • Green peas 63cooked; 150 g = 94 µg
  • Camembert 6230 g = 19 µg
  • Brussels sprouts 60cooked; 150 g = 90 µg
  • Pistachios 51roasted; 30 g = 15 µg
  • Crab meat 51cooked; 100 g = 51 µg
  • Egg fried 51one egg (50 g) = 26 µg
  • Bell pepper red, raw 46raw; one pod (150 g) = 69 µg
  • Okra 46cooked; 100 g = 46 µg
  • Savoy cabbage 46cooked; 150 g = 69 µg
  • Cauliflower 44cooked; 150 g = 66 µg
  • Almonds 44raw; 30 g = 13 µg
  • Egg hard-boiled 44one egg (50 g) = 22 µg
  • Mango 43raw; 150 g = 64 µg
  • Quinoa 42cooked; 150 g = 63 µg
  • Wholemeal bread wheat 42one slice (40 g) = 17 µg
  • Pak choi 41cooked; 150 g = 62 µg
  • Papaya 37raw; 150 g = 56 µg
  • Blue cheese 3630 g = 11 µg
  • Green beans 33cooked; 150 g = 50 µg
  • Feta 3230 g = 10 µg
  • Orange 30raw; one orange (150 g) = 45 µg
  • Orange juice fresh 30one glass (200 ml) = 60 µg
  • White cabbage 30cooked; 150 g = 45 µg
  • Clams 29cooked; 100 g = 29 µg
  • Potato baked, with skin 28one medium (150 g) = 42 µg
  • Strawberries 24raw; 150 g = 36 µg
  • Leek 24cooked; 100 g = 24 µg
  • Tempeh 24100 g = 24 µg
  • Prawns 24cooked; 100 g = 24 µg
  • Lamb leg lean 24roasted; 150 g = 36 µg
  • Sweetcorn 23cooked; 150 g = 34 µg
  • Oven chips 23150 g = 34 µg
  • Shiitake mushrooms cooked 21cooked; 100 g = 21 µg; dried ones are listed as 163 µg in tables
  • Gouda 2130 g = 6 µg
  • Banana 20one banana (120 g) = 24 µg
  • Scallops 20steamed; 100 g = 20 µg
  • Tofu firm 19100 g = 19 µg
  • Trout 19cooked; 150 g = 28 µg
  • Mushrooms raw 17raw; 100 g = 17 µg
  • Edam 1630 g = 5 µg
  • Tomato 15raw; one tomato (120 g) = 18 µg
  • Halibut 14cooked; 150 g = 21 µg
  • Oysters 14cooked; 100 g = 14 µg
  • Kefir 13one glass (200 ml) = 26 µg
  • Herring 12cooked; 150 g = 18 µg
  • Cottage cheese 12150 g = 18 µg
  • Yoghurt low-fat 11one pot (150 g) = 16 µg
  • Sardines tinned 10100 g = 10 µg
  • Swiss cheese Emmental 1030 g = 3 µg
  • Rice wholegrain, cooked 9cooked; 200 g = 18 µg
  • Beef mince fried 9fried; 150 g = 14 µg
  • Turkey breast 9fried; 150 g = 14 µg
  • Cod 8cooked; 150 g = 12 µg
  • Pasta cooked 7cooked; 200 g = 14 µg; white flour without germ
  • Yoghurt whole milk 7one pot (150 g) = 10 µg
  • Mozzarella 730 g = 2 µg
  • Parmesan 620 g = 1 µg
  • Roast beef topside 5roasted; 150 g = 8 µg
  • Milk 3.5% 5one glass (200 ml) = 10 µg
  • Chicken breast 4fried; 150 g = 6 µg
  • Tuna tinned 4100 g = 4 µg
  • Mackerel 2cooked; 150 g = 3 µg
  • Pork tenderloin 0fried; 150 g = 0 µg

Folic acid in everyday life: Fortified foods and drinkable meals

In Germany, flour isn't fortified with folic acid, unlike in the US, where every fortified cereal product has contained 140 µg per 100 g since 1998, and neural tube defects have dropped by around 1,300 cases per year since then. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment decided against this in 2017, fearing the upper limit for people who already take supplements. There are individual fortified products here: folic acid salt with 100 µg per gram, juices, breakfast cereals and dairy products.

Good to know

Folic acid salt is the cheapest way to boost basic intake: one gram of iodised salt with folic acid contains 100 µg, a third of the daily requirement in a pinch. If you're trying to conceive, it doesn't replace the 400 µg supplement.

Drinkable meals with defined nutrient amounts are part of it too: one bottle of Saturo delivers 60 to 61 µg of folic acid depending on the flavour, around 30% of the reference intake of 200 µg, plus vitamin B12. It's no substitute for treating a diagnosed deficiency, but it's a reliable contribution on days without lentils and salad.

Ready-to-Drink 6 x 400 ml
From the Saturo range

Drinkable meal: a complete meal from a bottle

26 vitamins and minerals, including folic acid and vitamin B12. Folate contributes to normal blood formation and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Reference intake for folic acid: 200 µg per day (NRV). For days when cooking isn't on the agenda.

36 gProtein
400kcal
26Vitamins & minerals
61.3 µgFolic acid per bottle31% of the reference intake
Choose flavour
18,00 złper meal
Drinkable meal · Cappuccino18,00 zł per meal ·
07 Special cases

Pregnancy, age, mental health: Who needs to pay special attention

Folic acid deficiency in pregnancy: Why the first four weeks count

The neural tube, from which the brain and spinal cord develop, closes between day 22 and 28 after fertilisation, when many women don't yet know they're pregnant. If folate is missing then, the tube stays open: spina bifida, or in the worst case, anencephaly. In Saxony-Anhalt, where this is systematically recorded, it affects 9.3 out of 10,000 births. That folic acid prevents this has been proven since 1991: in the British MRC study, it reduced the recurrence risk by 72%.

The recommendation in Germany: 400 µg of folic acid daily from the time you start trying to conceive, not just from a positive test, until the end of week 12. If you start less than four weeks before conception, take 800 µg.

Folic acid when trying to conceive: The timeline

  1. Trying to conceive 400 µg daily, straight away

    On the day contraception stops, folic acid begins: 400 µg as a supplement, plus a folate-rich diet. Your stores need about four weeks to reach the protective level. If you start later, take 800 µg.

  2. Week 3–4 The neural tube closes

    Day 22 to 28 after fertilisation, often before the positive test. This is when it's decided whether the brain and spinal cord form properly. There's no catching up, hence the early start.

  3. Until week 12 Keep taking the supplement

    The recommendation applies until the end of the first trimester. After that, with normal blood levels, 550 µg from diet is enough, though many doctors keep the supplement going anyway; liver stays off the menu because of vitamin A.

  4. Breastfeeding 450 µg from food

    Folate passes into breast milk. Salad, steamed vegetables and pulses cover the requirement; a supplement only if levels are low after birth or another pregnancy is planned.

Only around 40% of pregnant women in Germany get the timing and dose right. If you stop the pill, start on the same day.

Woman preparing a salad of spinach and avocado in a modern kitchen, next to a bowl of lentils, an orange and a glass of water: when trying to conceive, a folate-rich diet and 400 µg of folic acid go hand in hand
From the time you start trying to conceive, not just from the test: 400 µg of folic acid a day, plus salad, pulses and steamed vegetables.

Folic acid deficiency in old age

Older people in Germany have, on average, higher folate levels than younger people. Two groups are at risk: those who eat little because appetite, teeth or loneliness make cooking difficult, and those taking medications that deplete folate or drinking alcohol regularly. In them, the deficiency first shows up as forgetfulness, lack of drive and low mood, easily mistaken for normal ageing; Reynolds calls low folate and high homocysteine risk factors for dementia. In old age, vitamin B12 deficiency is more common because the stomach produces less acid, and both look the same on a blood count. So test folate, B12 and blood count together before anyone talks about dementia.

Folic acid deficiency and mental health: Depression, concentration, sleep

The link runs in both directions. People with depression have, on average, lower folate levels, as shown by a 2017 meta-analysis, and low folate can deepen depression: if you lack drive, you don't cook and don't eat vegetables. Folic acid doesn't cure depression, but for depression that responds poorly to treatment, checking folate levels is part of the diagnostic process, and a deficiency gets corrected. Concentration problems, irritability and sleep issues are possible with a folate deficiency, but almost never the only sign. If you just sleep badly and have nothing else, you don't have a folate deficiency.

Folic acid deficiency and menopause

Menopause doesn't cause folate deficiency, and the requirement doesn't rise: the DGE recommends the same 300 µg from age 51 onwards. What overlaps are the symptoms: tiredness, irritability, low mood and sleep problems appear on both lists, which is why a folate deficiency at this stage is easily blamed on hormones. Some providers recommend 400 to 800 µg of folic acid a day; there's no recommendation from any professional body for this and no study on hot flushes. It makes sense to have folate, B12, ferritin and thyroid checked if exhaustion persists.

Consequences of folic acid deficiency: What happens if it persists

A borderline level over weeks has no consequences once it's corrected. If the deficiency persists for months, four things threaten: anaemia with exhaustion, strain on the heart and, in older people, falls; rising homocysteine, a marker for vascular risk, not a proven cause; the nervous system, affecting mood and memory, with recovery slowing the longer it goes on; and the unborn child, because a deficiency in the first four weeks affects the neural tube. All four can be avoided with a blood test, a steamer, and the supplement from the time you start trying to conceive.

08 Reference

Frequently asked questions about folic acid deficiency

What are the signs of a folic acid deficiency?

First it shows up through the blood: tiredness, paleness and shortness of breath from anaemia with enlarged red blood cells. Then through the mucous membranes: a burning, smooth tongue, cracked corners of the mouth, loss of appetite, diarrhoea. With prolonged deficiency: concentration problems, irritability and low mood. Tingling is rare and points first towards suspected vitamin B12 deficiency.

How much folic acid do you need per day?

The DGE recommends 300 µg of folate equivalents from age 13, 550 µg during pregnancy, 450 µg while breastfeeding, and 120 to 240 µg for children. If trying to conceive, an additional 400 µg of folic acid as a supplement until the end of week 12. Upper limit for synthetic folic acid: 1,000 µg per day.

Can a folic acid deficiency cause weight gain?

No. Weight gain isn't a symptom of folic acid deficiency, in any guideline. If a deficiency affects weight at all, it's weight loss through loss of appetite and diarrhoea. If you're tired and gaining weight, it's better to check thyroid, vitamin B12 and iron. Folic acid tablets also don't lead to weight gain, according to the patient information leaflet.

Does folic acid help with weight loss?

No. No study shows that folic acid supports weight loss, and there's no mechanism to suggest it: folate is a vitamin for cell division, not a metabolism booster. If you correct an actual deficiency, you'll be less tired, and exercise becomes easier. For weight loss, vegetables, salad and pulses help, and they provide folate along the way.

Does a folic acid deficiency cause hair loss?

Possible, but rarely the cause. Hair follicles divide quickly, and a pronounced deficiency can slow growth, though the research is thin. Diffuse hair loss is far more often related to iron deficiency, thyroid issues, the end of a pregnancy or stress. Get ferritin, thyroid, B12 and folate checked in one appointment.

How dangerous is a folic acid deficiency for an unborn child?

The neural tube closes in the first four weeks after fertilisation. If folate is missing then, the risk of spina bifida or anencephaly rises, affecting around 9 in 10,000 births. Folic acid reduces this risk, by 72% in the MRC study. That's why 400 µg is recommended from the time you start trying to conceive until the end of week 12.

Are vitamin B12 and folic acid the same thing?

No, but they work in the same metabolic pathway, which is why the deficiency signs look similar: red blood cells that are too large and too few. Folate is found in vegetables and legumes and runs out after months, while vitamin B12 comes from animal foods and lasts for years. A B12 deficiency also damages the nerves. Read more in the article Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Can you take folic acid and vitamin B12 at the same time, and what doesn't mix well with folic acid?

Yes, this is common when both are deficient. The order matters: rule out or treat a B12 deficiency first, otherwise folic acid will normalise the blood count while the nerve damage continues. Be careful with anti-epileptics, methotrexate and trimethoprim: they and folic acid weaken each other's effect, so discuss the dose with your doctor.

Sources · 25 sources anzeigen
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Gregor Aßlaber
Gregor AßlaberAuthor · Saturo Editor

Writing for Saturo since 2019 about nutrition, nutrients, and how good nutrient supply actually works in everyday life.

Joerg Hauke
Joerg HaukeFachliche Prüfung · Nutrition expert

Hat diesen Artikel am 16. September 2026 auf fachliche Richtigkeit geprüft. This content does not replace medical advice.