Question 1

why does my friend have low folate (folic acid) levels?

Accepted Answer

Diet related: Folate (folic acid) is most often associated with diet intake or excessive use of alcohol. Some time abnormalities in the intestines or over growth of bad bacteria or even surgery to reduce surgery can cause decrease absorption of vitamins and folate (folic acid) as well.

Question 2

what could be the problems associated with low levels of folate (folic acid) in your diet?

Accepted Answer

Anemia and if pregna: Folic acid is needed for hemoglobin formation and Folic Acid deficiency can cause anemia.And if you are pregnant the deficiency can cause birth defects like spina bifida so all pregnant women are are given prenatal vitamins which contain folic acid
it can also cause irritability and depression, high homocystein level, diarrhea&loss of appetite, and some cancers are associated with very low levels.

Question 3

are low folate (folic acid) levels alone dangerous? they have been low for a year. can it cause any damage to health?

Accepted Answer

Low folate (folic acid) bad: There's no reason to walk around with low folate (folic acid) levels.  It's cheap and safe to supplement it.  So don't sit around wondering if it hurt you in the past.  Just take a supplement.
low folate (folic acid) in pregnant moms can cause birth defects.
Folate is involved in many crucial parts of our physiology.  Low folate (folic acid) can be very bad for the body.

Question 4

could low folate (folic acid) levels cause numb and tingly legs and feet?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Neuropathy can develop from low folate (folic acid) levels.

Question 5

can low folate (folic acid) levels result in numbness and tingly sensations in a person's feet and legs?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Anemia, weakness with nub tingling fingers and toes is common although the tingling is less common than anemia and weakness.

Question 6

i have a low folate (folic acid) level a high wbc and alopecia suddenly , and high bp i've also lost 50 0/0 of my hearing , yet still all the drs don't have clue?

Accepted Answer

One diagnosis?: I'm not aware of any unifying diagnosis that could tie all those diverse symptoms together into one neat package. Low folate (folic acid) can cause low WBCs. High BP is very common  and likely an unrelated problem. I think the approach here should be to address each issue: supplement folate (folic acid), search for infection, treat HTN, and go thru a list of causes for alopecia (there's a bunch of them). Best wishes.

Question 7

is a folate (folic acid) level of 10 a normal level? does is it matter if my b12 level is low (276)? my homocysteine is 12.

Accepted Answer

See below: Your folate (folic acid) level is normal. However, one needs B12 for folate (folic acid) to work properly. Depending on the reason for low B12 you may need to take it by injection. See this site for more info on folate (folic acid).
http://www.webmd.com/diet/folic-acid.

Question 8

i have off the chart high levels of both b12 and folate, with low ferritin. in a blood test. i was told long ago i cannot process folic acid well. now i take it with methotrexate. could this folic be the cause of these results?

Accepted Answer

: I don't know what you mean by "off the chart high levels" - actual numbers would be more helpful. High blood levels of folate are not a concern for most healthy adults. Still, consuming excessive amounts of folic acid from supplements can be harmful. High intakes of folic acid may mask a B12 deficiency, but I don't know of any way that taking folate would increase B12 levels. Ask your doctor.

Question 9

unintentional weight loss. low iron levels low b12 and folate (folic acid). can't get answers. ?

Accepted Answer

Wt loss, low iron : Could be from a vast number of possibilities. This question requires more information.  A good history, physical exam and scrutiny of current , past and future bloodwork will all help piece together this puzzle. In general low iron in healthy premenopausal women is usually from menstruation or pregnancy. The weight loss is somewhat worrisome. Highly recommend a formal consultation with a doctor.

Question 10

my vitamin b12 level was 292. is this too low? i was deficient in folate (folic acid) and my homocysteine level was 13.5.

Accepted Answer

Folate (folic acid) dieficiency: Would be uncommon in an 18 yo.  A B12 level between 200 and 400 can be difficult to interpret.  Under 200 clearly low and over 400 likely ok.  In between is a grey area.

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

Low folate level folic acid

A member asked:

Why does my friend have low folate (folic acid) levels?

A member asked:

What could be the problems associated with low levels of folate (folic acid) in your diet?

A member asked:

Are low folate (folic acid) levels alone dangerous? they have been low for a year. can it cause any damage to health?

A member asked:

Could low folate (folic acid) levels cause numb and tingly legs and feet?

A member asked:

Can low folate (folic acid) levels result in numbness and tingly sensations in a person's feet and legs?

A member asked:

I have a low folate (folic acid) level a high wbc and alopecia suddenly , and high bp i've also lost 50 0/0 of my hearing , yet still all the drs don't have clue?

A member asked:

Is a folate (folic acid) level of 10 a normal level? does is it matter if my b12 level is low (276)? my homocysteine is 12.

A member asked:

I have off the chart high levels of both b12 and folate, with low ferritin. in a blood test. i was told long ago i cannot process folic acid well. now i take it with methotrexate. could this folic be the cause of these results?

A member asked:

Unintentional weight loss. low iron levels low b12 and folate (folic acid). can't get answers. ?

A member asked:

My vitamin b12 level was 292. is this too low? i was deficient in folate (folic acid) and my homocysteine level was 13.5.

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?