What Are Folic Acid Deficiency Symptoms?
Folic acid deficiency is a shortage of folic acid or folate, one of the B vitamins. This vitamin plays a role in a number of processes inside the body. Left untreated, a folic acid deficiency will progress to folic acid anemia, also known as folate anemia, a form of megaloblastic anemia. Common folic acid deficiency symptoms can include a loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. There are a number of steps which people can take to reduce their risks of developing these folic acid deficiency symptoms. People at risk for folic acid deficiency include people who do not eat a balanced diet or who have a medical condition which interferes with the absorption of nutrients, such as alcoholism or a malabsorption disorder. Certain medications can lead to deficiencies because they interfere with the way the body processes nutrients, and people on kidney dialysis are at risk of folic acid deficiency because folic acid is expressed at a higher rate. Age i
