Folate blood test
Folate (folic acid)
In short
A typical adult folate result is over 3 ng/mL. A low folate can come from diet, alcohol, trouble absorbing it, or some medicines. Because low folate and low B12 look alike in a blood count, doctors often check both. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
A B vitamin the body needs to make red blood cells.
Folate, also called vitamin B9 or folic acid, comes from leafy greens, beans and foods with added folic acid. The body needs it to make red blood cells and new cells, especially in pregnancy. This test reflects recent meals, so it can swing from day to day.
Is my Folate high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | over 3 | ng/mL |
| Adults | over 6.8 | nmol/L |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your Folate is low
A low folate can come from diet, alcohol, trouble absorbing it, or some medicines. Because low folate and low B12 look alike in a blood count, doctors often check both.
Common reasons
- A diet low in greens, beans, fruit or foods with added folic acid
- Heavy alcohol use, which lowers folate absorption and use
- Some seizure, arthritis and cancer medicines, and some antibiotics
- Gut conditions that limit absorption, such as celiac disease
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding, when the body needs more
- Kidney dialysis, which removes folate from the blood
- Less often: conditions with fast cell turnover, such as some blood disorders
What can throw it off
Folate rises after meals and supplements, so a result can shift with what was eaten recently.
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1Should my B12 be checked at the same time?
- 2Could my medicines or diet explain this?
- 3Would a repeat test or a red cell folate test help?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read Folate alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the folate blood test?
Folate: A B vitamin the body needs to make red blood cells. Folate, also called vitamin B9 or folic acid, comes from leafy greens, beans and foods with added folic acid. The body needs it to make red blood cells and new cells, especially in pregnancy. This test reflects recent meals, so it can swing from day to day.
What is a normal folate level?
For most adults, folate is typically over 3 ng/mL. Some countries print it in nmol/L, so check the unit first. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a low folate mean?
A low folate can come from diet, alcohol, trouble absorbing it, or some medicines. Because low folate and low B12 look alike in a blood count, doctors often check both. Common reasons include a diet low in greens, beans, fruit or foods with added folic acid; heavy alcohol use, which lowers folate absorption and use; some seizure, arthritis and cancer medicines, and some antibiotics; and gut conditions that limit absorption, such as celiac disease.
What can affect my folate result?
Folate rises after meals and supplements, so a result can shift with what was eaten recently.
What should I ask my doctor about my folate?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: Should my B12 be checked at the same time? Could my medicines or diet explain this? Would a repeat test or a red cell folate test help?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
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