FOLATE

Folate is an important nutrient for making normal red blood cells and for repairing cells and nerve tissue in the body. Along with vitamin B12, it is tested to check whether you have enough of these vitamins in your blood. Folate is usually found in food like green vegetables, fruit, dry beans and peas and many breakfast cereals. Because it is so important in normal growth, especially in developing babies, folic acid is added to bread, flour and cereals.

This test examines your levels of folate in the blood (serum folate) or in the red blood cells (RBC folate).

There are many possible reasons for a low folate level:

• You might not be eating enough folate-containing foods.
• Your body might not be absorbing folate from food.
• Your body might be losing folate due to taking medication, or a liver or kidney condition.
• You might need more folate than usual, such as if you’re pregnant.

You should discuss the results with your doctor to see what they mean in your particular situation.