Abstract
Folic acid and its derivatives are essential for human body and health. They play a significant role in nucleic acids' and amino acids' synthesis.
Total body content of folate in human body is supposed to be 10 to 30 mg; approx. half is stored in the liver and the rest in blood and other tissues. Deficiency can arise in any age and a frequent cause of low folate status is pregnancy, alcoholism, malabsorption syndrome, and long-terms consumers of certain therapeutic drugs.
Folate deficiency causes megaloblastic anaemia manifesting as megaloblastosis of bone marrow and macrocytosis of circulating erythrocytes. Low folate status during pregnancy is linked to neural tube defects of foetus.
Food folates are abundant in liver and bakery yeast, pulses and fresh green leafy vegetables. Bioavailability of folates depends highly on their chemical form, stability and mode of consumption.
Recommended daily intake is expressed as DFE (Dietary Folate Equivalents) and ranges usually between 200-400 μg DFE in adults.