Patient was educated on the importance of folate as follows:
- Folate is an essential nutrient of human diet and a water-soluble vitamin, belonging to vitamin B-complex group.
- Folate is available in a wide variety of food sources. A portion of vitamin consumed is used by the body for metabolic needs. The unused portion of the vitamin is excreted in the urine and is not stored in the body. Since folate is not stored in the body, it must be consumed as an essential part of everyday meal.
- Folate is required for normal maturation of red blood cells in the human body. Mature red blood cells in circulation help pick up oxygen from the lungs, transport oxygen, and deliver it to the various body tissues.
- Once oxygen is delivered to the tissues, these red blood cells also help pick up carbon dioxide from the tissues, transport, and deliver it to the lungs, to be eliminated. By helping with oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide elimination, mature red blood cells play an important role in the normal function of all vital organs.
- Deficiency of folate can result in compromised and incomplete maturation of red blood cells. This can result in immature red cells in blood circulation that are poorly functional, in comparison to the mature red blood cells.
- Also, immature red blood cells are short-lived and do not survive for the length of time that normal mature red blood cells do. This can result in poor oxygen transport by red blood cells, reduced count of red blood cells, and anemia.
- Folate is also needed for synthesis and repair of DNA, which carries the genetic information in all the cells of human body. Normal synthesis of DNA is important for healthy growth and cell division. Deficiency of folate can result in compromised genetic material synthesis and repair, thus affecting the normal growth and cell division in all the body tissues.
- In pregnant women, folate helps with normal growth of fetal brain and spinal cord. Deficiency of folate in pregnant women can result in defective growth of fetal brain and spinal cord, resulting in congenital defects.
- Folate also acts as an essential coenzyme in the body, needed for various metabolic and biologic functions.
