Health-and-Nutrition/C2/Importance-of-Folate/English-timed
From Script | Spoken-Tutorial
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00:00 | Welcome to the spoken tutorial on the importance of folate. |
00:05 | In this tutorial we will learn about: |
00:09 | Role of folate in the body. |
00:12 | Effects of folate deficiency. |
00:15 | Requirements of folate for different age groups. |
00:20 | Vitamin B9 is an important water soluble B vitamin. |
00:25 | It has two forms:folate and folic acid. |
00:30 | Folate is the natural form and is found naturally in foods. |
00:35 | Folate is also produced by bacteria in our intestines. |
00:41 | Whereas, folic acid is the synthetic form. |
00:45 | It is found in chemically enriched foods or supplements. |
00:51 | Folate is easily absorbed in our body as compared to folic acid. |
00:58 | We will now see the role of folate in our body and |
01:02 | the effect of its deficiency. |
01:05 | Folate is essential for various functions in our body. |
01:09 | Our body needs it for growth, repair, division and production of new cells. |
01:18 | Folate helps in lowering the homocysteine levels. |
01:23 | Homocysteine is a type of amino acid used to make protein. |
01:29 | High homocysteine levels impairs cognitive function. |
01:34 | It also damages the blood vessels of the heart. |
01:39 | This increases the risk of heart diseases. |
01:43 | Thus, folate helps in maintaining heart and cognitive function. |
01:48 | It is also required for a healthy pregnancy |
01:51 | and for closure of the neural tube. |
01:55 | The neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord of the baby. |
02:01 | Failure in closure of neural tubes may result in neural tube defects. |
02:07 | Neural tube defects are the birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. |
02:13 | The two most common neural tube defects are anencephaly and spina bifida. |
02:20 | In anencephaly, parts of a baby’s brain and skull do not form correctly. |
02:27 | In spina bifida, the baby's spine does not develop properly. |
02:33 | Thus, the baby can have physical disabilities. |
02:38 | They may develop muscle weakness of the legs and paralysis. |
02:43 | Curved spine and loss of urinary bladder control are other symptoms. |
02:49 | Difficulty in eating and swallowing is also common. |
02:55 | They may also have difficulty in learning and paying attention. |
03:00 | Closure of the neural tube takes place within 28 days of conception. |
03:06 | Until this time, the woman might not even know that she is pregnant. |
03:12 | By the time she knows, it might be too late to prevent these defects. |
03:18 | All women, especially of reproductive age should take adequate folate rich food. |
03:25 | Along with folate, other nutrients are important to prevent neural tube defects. |
03:32 | For example: vitamin B12 and choline. |
03:39 | During pregnancy, the requirements of folate increases. |
03:45 | Inadequate intake during this time can result in folate deficiency. |
03:51 | Poor absorption of folate by the body can result in deficiency. |
03:58 | Even excess of alcohol intake results in the same. |
04:03 | A deficiency of vitamin B12 can indirectly lead to folate deficiency. |
04:09 | Even if folate is present in our body, it will not be able to perform its function. |
04:16 | This is because vitamin B12 is required to convert folate into its active form. |
04:24 | Thus, adequate intake of vitamin B12 along with folate is important. |
04:31 | Eggs, chicken, meat and milk products are good sources of vitamin B12. |
04:39 | Shellfish, liver, heart, kidneys, brain are other examples. |
04:47 | Individuals with genetic anemia can be at a risk of folate deficiency. |
04:54 | Examples of genetic anemia are sickle cell anemia |
04:58 | and thalassemia. |
05:01 | In these conditions, red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be created. |
05:08 | Thus, adequate intake of folate is recommended during these conditions. |
05:14 | Please consult your doctor before taking any supplement. |
05:19 | Next, let us look at the symptoms of folate deficiency. |
05:24 | These symptoms can be seen in both men and women. |
05:29 | Some of the early signs are soreness and redness of the tongue and lips. |
05:35 | Other symptoms are fatigue, |
05:38 | irritability,
sleep disturbances |
05:41 | and depression. |
05:43 | Ulcers in the mouth or stomach can also occur. |
05:47 | Long term deficiency can reduce memory and attention span. |
05:53 | Folate deficiency in pregnant women may have a bad effect on the babies. |
05:59 | For example: neural tube defects and |
06:03 | cleft lip and palate in babies. |
06:07 | A cleft is a gap or split in the upper lip or roof of the mouth. |
06:13 | This occurs when the tissues do not fuse together during growth in the womb. |
06:20 | Folate or vitamin B12 deficiency results in macrocytic anemia. |
06:27 | Let me explain to you how this occurs. |
06:30 | Both these nutrients are required for normal cell growth and division. |
06:36 | In case of their deficiency, the red blood cells do not mature or divide properly. |
06:43 | As a result, large immature red blood cells are formed which are few in number. |
06:51 | These have very low hemoglobin in them and are unable to function properly. |
06:59 | Hemoglobin helps to transport oxygen to other tissues and cells. |
07:06 | Thus, low hemoglobin levels can cause anemia. |
07:11 | Let us look at the per day recommendations of folate for different age groups. |
07:18 | For 1 to 3 year old children 90 micrograms is required. |
07:24 | For 4 to 9 year old children it is 110 to 142 micrograms. |
07:32 | For 10 to 15 year old adolescents it is 180 to 204 micrograms. |
07:42 | More than 200 micrograms per day for adolescents above 16 years is recommended. |
07:50 | For adult females and males it is 200 to 250 micrograms. |
07:58 | Pregnant women should have about 500 micrograms. |
08:02 | For breastfeeding mothers, it is 300 micrograms. |
08:07 | The requirements of folate are higher for women with a history of birth defects. |
08:15 | They should take 500 micrograms before conception and throughout pregnancy. |
08:22 | Adequate folate intake is also recommended for women who are planning pregnancy. |
08:29 | The requirements of folate can be met through diet. |
08:33 | Beans are excellent source of folate. |
08:36 | 30 grams or ½ cup of uncooked beans gives about 80 to 120 micrograms of folate. |
08:46 | Cowpea, kidney beans, moth beans, soybeans are a few examples. |
08:53 | Even bengal gram, field beans, horse gram, dry peas are good sources. |
09:00 | Green leafy vegetables are also rich in folate. |
09:04 | For example: spinach, amaranth leaves, colocasia leaves, agathi leaves. |
09:11 | 50 grams or 1 cup of uncooked spinach will give about 70 micrograms of folate. |
09:19 | 1 teaspoon of powdered drumstick leaves gives about 10 micrograms of folate. |
09:27 | Other vegetables rich in folate are tender field beans, french beans and beetroot. |
09:35 | Even cauliflower, ladies finger and drumsticks have moderate amounts of folate. |
09:43 | Sunflower seeds, mustard seeds and niger seeds have little amount of folate. |
09:50 | 1 tablespoon of these powdered seeds have about 15 to 20 micrograms of folate. |
09:59 | Among non-vegetarian foods chicken liver and all sea food are excellent sources. |
10:06 | 1 chicken liver of 60 grams will give about 600 micrograms of folate. |
10:13 | 100 grams of any seafood will give more than 700 micrograms. |
10:20 | Please note that excessive heat and water decreases folate content. |
10:26 | Therefore, avoid overcooking and repetitive reheating of food. |
10:33 | Vegetables can be sautéed or steamed instead of boiling. |
10:38 | Pulses should always be soaked overnight before cooking. |
10:43 | Sprouting and cooking of whole beans enhances its nutrient content. |
10:49 | Fermentation and roasting will also help to improve the absorption of folate. |
10:56 | Adequate intake of folate is very important for our good health. |
11:01 | This brings us to the end of the tutorial.
Thank you for joining. |