Disease or Syndrome
folate deficiency
fo·late de·fi·cien·cy [ foh-leyt dih-fish-uhn-see ]
Subclass of:
Vitamin B Deficiency
Also called:
Folate Deficiency; Folic Acid
Definitions related to folic acid deficiency:
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(folate deficiency) State in which folate is absent or in diminished amount relative to the normal requirement of an organism or a biologic system.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of FOLIC ACID in the diet. Many plant and animal tissues contain folic acid, abundant in green leafy vegetables, yeast, liver, and mushrooms but destroyed by long-term cooking. Alcohol interferes with its intermediate metabolism and absorption. Folic acid deficiency may develop in long-term anticonvulsant therapy or with use of oral contraceptives. This deficiency causes anemia, macrocytic anemia, and megaloblastic anemia. It is indistinguishable from vitamin B 12 deficiency in peripheral blood and bone marrow findings, but the neurologic lesions seen in B 12 deficiency do not occur. (Merck Manual, 16th ed)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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(reduced blood folate concentration) A reduced circulating concentration of folic acid, which is also known as vitamin B9.Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
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Folate deficiency is common. It may result from inadequate intake, malabsorption, or use of various drugs. Deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia (indistinguishable from that due to vitamin B12 deficiency). Maternal deficiency increases the risk of neural tube birth defects. Diagnosis requires laboratory testing to confirm. Measurement...Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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The prevalence of folate deficiency has decreased since many countries in the western hemisphere introduced a mandatory folic acid food fortification program starting in the late 1990s. People with excessive alcohol intake and malnutrition are still at high risk of folate deficiency.WebMD, 2019
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Megaloblastic anemia without neuropathy is the classic manifestation of folate deficiency.Folate, a 1-carbon transporter, is present in natural foods such as green vegetables, legumes, and some fruits. Deficiency arises due to malabsorption, drugs and toxins, increased demand, or dietary deficiency.Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
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