What does a high folate level mean?
High values High levels of folate in the blood may mean that you eat a diet rich in folate or folic acid, take vitamins, or take folic acid pills. Consuming more folate than the body needs does not cause problems. High folate levels can also mean a vitamin B12 deficiency. Body cells need vitamin B12 to use folate.
What does a folate blood test show?
A folate test measures the amount of folate in the blood. Folate is one of many B vitamins. The body needs folate for normal growth and to make red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets. Folate also is important for the normal development of a baby (fetus).
What does high levels of folate and B12 mean?
High serum folate levels can mask the symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency and make its neurological symptoms worse. They can also increase the likelihood of anemia.
Why would folate level be low?
A diet low in fresh fruits, vegetables, and fortified cereals is the main cause of folate deficiency. In addition, overcooking your food can sometimes destroy the vitamins. Folate levels in your body can become low in just a few weeks if you don’t eat enough folate-rich foods.
What happens if your folate is too high?
Several studies indicate that chronically elevated levels of unmetabolized folic acid may have adverse health effects, including: Increased cancer risk. High levels of unmetabolized folic acid have been associated with increased cancer risk.
What diseases cause high folate levels?
There are several other medical conditions that may increase folic acid needs including anyone taking medications for epilepsy, Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease; anyone with kidney disease who is on dialysis; anyone with liver, sickle cell, or celiac diseases.
What is a good folate level?
The normal reference range of folic acid in the blood is between 2.7 and 17.0 nanograms per milliliter. Higher-than-normal folic acid levels usually aren’t problematic, but they may indicate a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
What happens if your folic acid is too high?
Excess folic acid is excreted in urine. A high folate intake can mask vitamin B-12 deficiency until its neurological effects become irreversible. This can typically be remedied by taking a supplement containing 100 percent of the daily value of both folic acid and vitamin B-12.
What happens if your folate is low?
When you have anemia, your blood can’t bring enough oxygen to all your tissues and organs. Without enough oxygen, your body can’t work as well as it should. Low levels of folic acid can cause megaloblastic anemia. With this condition, red blood cells are larger than normal.
Is folate the same as B12?
Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is found in foods from animals, such as red meat, fish, poultry, milk, yogurt, and eggs. Folate (Vitamin B9) refers to a natural occurring form of the vitamin, whereas folic acid refers to the supplement added to foods and drinks.
Is high folate level bad?
What is a normal folate level?
The normal range is 2.7 to 17.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or 6.12 to 38.52 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L).