Risk groups for folic acid deficiency include individuals with:
Biographical causes
- Age > 60 years
- A low socioeconomic status or low dietary patterns – mostly low folic acid diet.
- Pregnancy at a young age – folate stores are insufficiently filled after the growth spurt of puberty.
Inadequate folate supply during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, fetal growth retardation and the occurrence of neural tube defects.
Behavioral causes:
Medications:
- Taking oral contraceptives (pill).
- Taking antiepileptic drugs
Other causes:
- Pregnant and lactating women, especially women with multiple pregnancies – due to the larger maternal blood volume as well as the multiplied fetal demand.
- In short intervals successive pregnancies – the mother does not have enough time to replenish the emptied folic acid stores again
Note on the state of supply (National Consumption Study II 2008).
79% of men and 86% of women do not reach the recommended daily intake.The undersupply increases with increasing age of men and women.
