Folic Acid

General

Synonym/Acronym:
Folate, vitamin B9.

Rationale
To assist in evaluation of diagnoses that are related to fluctuations in folate levels such as vitamin B12 deficiency and malabsorption.

Patient Preparation
There are no food, fluid, activity, or medication restrictions unless by medical direction.

Normal Findings
Method: Immunochemiluminometric assay (ICMA).

Conventional UnitsSI Units (Conventional Units × 2.265)
ChildGreater than 7 ng/mL
Adult
  NormalGreater than 5.4 ng/mLGreater than 12.2 nmol/L
  Intermediate3.4–5.4 ng/mL7.7–12.2 nmol/L
  DeficientLess than 3.4 ng/mLLess than 7.7 nmol/L
Values may be slightly decreased in older adults due to the effects of medications and the presence of multiple chronic or acute diseases with or without muted symptoms.

Critical Findings and Potential Interventions
N/A

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