In anaemia
Folic acid helps make healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.
If you do not have enough folic acid, your body can make abnormally large red blood cells that do not work properly.
This causes folate deficiency anaemia, which can cause tiredness and other symptoms.
Folic acid will help you make healthy red blood cells and improve or prevent the symptoms of anaemia.
In pregnancy
A baby's body and most of their internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid helps this happen normally.
Low folate levels at this important time can increase the risk of neural tube defects and possibly other problems in your baby.
You need up to 10 times more folate in pregnancy to help your baby develop.
It's recommended that if you're pregnant or trying for a baby, you take a folic acid supplement until you're 12 weeks pregnant.
To reduce the side effects of methotrexate
Methotrexate works by blocking some of the effects of folate.
Sometimes taking methotrexate leads to folate deficiency because it causes your body to get rid of more folate than normal.
Taking folic acid can help prevent folate deficiency.
