Patient's question:
Start taking folic acid, I would like to ask when is it appropriate to start supplementing with calcium? Is it not good to take calcium at the same time as folic acid?Medical history and treatment effects: No hospital treatment has been sought.
Desired help: I am now preparing to have a baby and know that folic acid should be taken 3 months in advance. I would like to ask when is it appropriate to start supplementing with calcium? Is it not good to take calcium at the same time as folic acid?
Doctor's answer:
Folic acid supplement preparations should not exceed 0.4 milligrams per day.To prevent folate deficiency in the body due to missing the optimal supplementation window, all women who may become pregnant are reminded to pay attention to consuming more leafy greens, fruits, liver, and other folate-rich foods. It is worth noting that folate is easily destroyed during food packaging and processing. Therefore, although a glass of fresh orange juice contains more than 0.1 milligrams of folate, the folate content in most bottled or canned orange juice is significantly lower. Obtaining 0.4 milligrams of folate entirely from daily food intake is not easy, so it may be necessary to consider taking supplements. Folic acid supplements are best when each tablet contains 0.4 milligrams. However, many products on the market contain more than 0.4 milligrams per tablet, with some even as high as 5 milligrams, which is 12.5 times the normal recommended dosage. Pregnant women should strictly avoid taking such high-dose folate tablets in the early stages of pregnancy, as long-term high-dose use of folate tablets can have adverse effects on both the mother and the fetus. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women follow the guidance of professionals and avoid self-medication or indiscriminate purchases of medication.