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Folate (folic acid or Vitamin B9)

    Brands

    DEA Class; Rx, OTC

    Common Brand Names; Folvite

    • Vitamins, Water-Soluble

    Oral/parenteral, water-soluble B-vitamin; found in foods including leafy green vegetables and fortified grains; regulates homocysteine. Used for megaloblastic and macrocytic anemias, use may mask vitamin B-12 deficiency. Not clinically useful in offsetting the action of folate reductase inhibitors. Also used to treat tropical sprue, alcoholism. Adequate intake by women of conceptual age substantially decreases risk of congenital neural tube defects. Further data to refine effect on CHD and other chronic disease.

    Indicated for the treatment of folate deficiency megaloblastic anemia due to malnutrition, pregnancy, infancy or childhood, alcohol use disorders, and nontropical or tropical sprue.

    For nutritional supplementation.
    For the adjunct treatment of primary homocystinuria.
    For methotrexate toxicity prophylaxis in patients receiving methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis.
    For folate deficiency diagnosis, to detect the presence of folate deficiency without concealing pernicious anemia in patients with megaloblastic anemia.
    For neural tube defect prophylaxis.

    Hypersensitivity

    • Bronchospasm
    • Erythema
    • Malaise
    • Pruritus
    • Rash
    • Slight flushing

    Undiagnosed anemias

    May mask anemia at dosages >0.1 mg/day

    In presence of vitamin B12 deficiency, not appropriate for monotherapy in pernicious, normocytic, or aplastic anemia

    Vials must be protected from heat and light

    Injection contains benzyl alcohol as preservative (benzyl alcohol is associated with gasping syndrome in neonates)

    Pregnancy category: A

    Lactation: Drug enters breast milk; safe for nursing

    The following are recommended upper tolerable intake levels if healthy, non-vitamin deficient, unless otherwise noted. In patients with deficiencies or disease, higher dosages have been used.

    Adults

    1 mg/day PO. For patients with deficiency states or disease (e.g., megaloblastic anemia), intakes have been > 5 mg/day PO, and up to 15 mg/day PO in some cases

    Elderly

    1 mg/day PO. For patients with deficiency states or disease (e.g., megaloblastic anemia), intakes have been > 5 mg/day PO, and up to 15 mg/day PO in some cases

    Adolescents

    >= 14 years: 0.8 mg/day PO.

    Children

    9—13 years: 0.6 mg/day PO.
    4—8 years: 0.4 mg/day PO.
    1—3 years: 0.3 mg/day PO.

    Infants

    Maximum dosage has not been determined.

    Folic Acid

    tablet

    • 400mcg
    • 800mcg
    • 1mg

    injectable solution

    • 5mg/mL