Systematic name – N-[4(2-Amino-4-hydroxypteridin-6-ylmethylamino)benzoyl]-L(+)-glutamic acid.

Dictionary: - a yellowish-orange compound, C 19 H 19 N 7 O 6 of the vitamin B complex group that is iportant in preventing neural tube defects in the developing human fetus. in foods - leaf vegetables such as spinach and turnip greens, dry beans and peas, grain and some other fruits and vegetables.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) (recommended daily intake) Life Stage Men Women Pregnancy Lactation Ages µg 400 µg All ages 600 µg 500 µg deficiency – A deficiency of this vitamin can occur when your need of vitamin is increased, when dietary intake is inadequate, or when your body excretes more of this vitmamin (its salt) than usual. E.g. pregnacy and lactation, alcohol abuse, malabsorption (defective or inadequate absorption of some substances), kidney dialysis, liver disease, …. Signs of deficiency - loss of appetite and weight, weakness, headaches, irritability. In adults, anemia is sign of advanced deficiency and neural tube defects. (irritability – podrážděnost)

Nowadays this vitamin (its salts) is added to some food, like flour or some breakfast cereals which contains from 25 to 100 % of the daily value. Too much – the toxicity from this vitamin is low. But the maximum recommended intake level is 1000 µg, the higher intake can masking symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Interests Some evidence associates low blood levels of salts of this vitamin with a greater risk of cancer. Salt of this vitamin is involved in the synthesis, repair and functioning of DNA, and a deficiency may result in damage to DNA that may lead to cancer. Findings from a study of over nurses suggested that long-term supplementation (for 15 years) was associated with a decreased risk of cancer. (involve – zapojit; findings – závěry, výsledky; suggest – navrhnout, doporučit; supplementation – doplnění, doplňování)

Other names – pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, Vitamin B9, Vitamin M, Folacin, Vitamin B C.