Consuming Folic Acid While Pregnant – MTHFR Mutation Genes Explains Why The Benefits May Vary
It is usually recommended that all women should consume folic acid, both while they are trying to conceive and also during their first 12 weeks of pregnancy. This is because folate is considered to be extremely imperative for the development and growth of a hale and hearty fetus.
However lately, it has been claimed that ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach perhaps be wrong and that some pregnant women get to benefit more from consuming the alternatives to folic acid. Particularly, it has been found that forms of specific genes that vary among people, perhaps affect how the human body makes use of the folic acid.
The terms ‘folate’ and ‘folic acid’ are generally used interchangeably to explain Vitamin B9, however; they are not exactly the same. Folate is generally referred to as Vitamin B9’s natural form of, which is available in various dark green vegetables such as dried legumes, spinach, and broccoli. Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic or processed form of Vitamin B9, with more supplements added to the ‘fortified’ or processed foods.
By consuming foods that are high in folic acid on a regular basis, most people are able to get an adequate amount, which is around 200 mcg a day. For some people though, more dosage is recommended.
It is known that folic acid or folate is crucial for the development and growth of a healthy fetus. This is why all pregnant women and those who are trying to conceive for a bay are advised to consume it in a double amount that is 400 mcg per day or even more than this in some cases, as it helps avert the risk of birth defects in newborns.
It perhaps is not possible to obtain this much of folate merely from natural sources. That is why folic acid is generally prescribed to all the pregnant women out there in the form of different supplements. It is also one of the prime reasons why folic acid is added to grains in different countries.
It is Vital That You Understand The process
People differ in how much folate their body requires and consume in their diet, and this can be corrected with the help of supplements. However, people also differ in how much folic acid they require for their health – based on the MTHFR mutation genes activity.
To understand it better, it is vital that you first learn about how your body works. There are 20,000 genes present in the human genome. Each of these provides instructions in the form of a DNA sequence that leads to the production of a certain protein. Proteins play a crucial role in the human body: from building cells through to making the brain function properly.