Folate, RBC

A high level of Folate in the blood may indicate that you eat a diet rich in folic acid or are taking folate supplements. Folate is a water-soluble vitamin, and as such the body can easily remove excess amounts through urine. Therefore, consuming more Folate than the body needs does not cause problems. A high Folate level can also mean vitamin B12 deficiency. Our bodies need vitamin B12 to use Folate; if there isn’t enough vitamin B12 then a buildup of folate can occur. That being said, a folic acid test isn’t a reliable way to test for vitamin B12 deficiency. 

- Low folate intake, malabsorption as a result of gastrointestinal diseases, pregnancy, and drugs such as phenytoin are causes of folate deficiency. 
- Folate deficiency is also associated with chronic alcoholism. 
- Folate and vitamin B12 deficiency impair DNA synthesis, causing macrocytic anemias. These anemias are characterized by abnormal maturation of red blood cell precursors in the bone marrow, the presence of megaloblasts, and decreased red blood cell survival.

Since both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency can cause macrocytic anemia, appropriate treatment depends on the differential diagnosis of the deficiency.

Low serum folate during pregnancy has been associated with neural tube defects in the fetus.

Folates are compounds of pteroylglutamic acid (PGA) that function as coenzymes in metabolic reactions involving the transfer of single-carbon units from a donor to a recipient compound. Folate, with vitamin B12, is essential for DNA synthesis, which is required for normal red blood cell maturation. Humans obtain folate from dietary sources including fruits, green and leafy vegetables, yeast, and organ meats. Folate is absorbed through the small intestine and stored in the liver.