Folic acid deficiency affects the growth and repair of your body’s tissues. The tissues that have fastest rate of cell replacement are the first ones to be affected, so your blood and digestive tract are where the signs of deficiency will most likely first appear. If you are deficient in folic acid, you might have some of these symptoms:

• Anemia

• Nausea and loss of appetite

• Diarrhea

• Malnutrition from poor nutrient absorption

• Weight loss

• Weakness

• Sore tongue

• Headaches

• Irritability and mood swings

• Heart palpitations

Folic acid is rarely found in food or in the human body. Folic acid is the form normally used in vitamin supplements and in fortifying food.
Leafy green vegetables are the best sources of folate. The only good animal sources are chicken liver and beef liver; there’s hardly any in milk and other dairy foods. Beans of all kinds are a great way to get your folic acid. Other good plant sources are spinach and asparagus.

Folic acid works closely with the other B vitamins, especially pyridoxine, cobalamin, and choline. If you’re low on any of the B’s, you probably have symptoms of folic acid deficiency as well—and vice versa. You may need to take a complete B supplement.