Vitamin B9
Folate supports DNA production and cell division.
The formula matches the form shown in the 3D model. Other forms of this vitamin can have different formulas.Loading molecular structure…
Folic acid · Drag to rotate
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One representative form. Hydrogens omitted; bonds simplified.
PubChem · CID 135398658Where you can find it
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Beans
- Fortified cereals
- Enriched grains
What it does in the body
Folate supports DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation. Adequacy is particularly important around conception and early pregnancy.
Recommended amounts & upper limit
US reference values for healthy adults aged 19–50, excluding pregnancy and breastfeeding. These are daily dietary intakes, not blood-test ranges or prescribed supplement doses. Other ages and life stages have different needs; see the original source.
- Men · RDA
- 400 mcg DFE/day
- Women · RDA
- 400 mcg DFE/day
- Upper limit · UL
- 1,000 mcg/day folic acidSupplements and fortified foods; not naturally occurring food folate. The UL is not in DFE.
DFE means dietary folate equivalents.
How to read these levels
RDA means Recommended Dietary Allowance; AI means Adequate Intake, used when an RDA cannot be set. The upper limit (UL) is not a target or an exact toxicity threshold. Going below the RDA on one day does not diagnose deficiency. No established UL does not mean unlimited amounts are safe.
mg = milligrams; mcg = micrograms. 1 mg = 1,000 mcg. IU is vitamin-specific and cannot be converted with one rule for all vitamins.
What happens when the balance changes?
These are possible effects, not a diagnosis or a prediction from one low or high result.
Too little
Can cause megaloblastic anaemia, weakness and fatigue.
Body areas affected
Blood; developing fetal brain and spinal cord.
Too much
Excess folic acid can correct the anaemia of B12 deficiency while neurological damage continues, delaying recognition.
Body areas affected
Nervous system indirectly, through unrecognized B12 deficiency.
What about blood-test levels?
Blood-test levels and daily intake use different units and cannot be compared directly. Test methods, reference ranges and clinical context vary. Symptoms alone cannot establish a vitamin deficiency or toxicity; a clinician can decide which tests and treatment are appropriate.
The body connection
Low folate during early pregnancy increases the risk of neural tube defects involving the developing brain or spinal cord.
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