The word "folate" seems synonymous with pregnant women. In fact, folate is actually needed by everyone.

Folate, which is a form of vitamin B which is soluble in water, needed for development and growth. He helped grow new cells, so mainly it is needed by pregnant women and their babies. In pregnant women, folate is needed to help reduce the risk of defects in the brain and spinal cord in infants.

Even so, children, teenagers, men, and elderly people also need a sufficient intake of folate, because basically everyone will make new cells every day. Folate is needed to make red blood cells healthy. If you lack folate intake, red blood cells can not divide properly, which can cause anemia.

How much folate intake is needed by humans according to age?
* Infants 0-6 months: 65 micrograms / day, 7-12 months: 80 micrograms / day
* Children 1-3 years: 150-300 micrograms / day, 4-8 years: 200-400 micrograms / day
* Men 14-18 years: 400-800 micrograms / day, 19-70 years: 400-1000 micrograms / day
* Women 14-18 years: 400-800 micrograms / day, 19-70 years: 400-1000 micrograms / day
* Pregnant women, 600-1000 micrograms / day
* Nursing mothers, 500-1000 micrograms / day
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes

All women of childbearing age need 400 micrograms (0.4 mg / mg) or folic acid each day. That means, adolescent girls whose body began to change also took folic acid (synthetic vitamin form of folate) to prepare to become a mother someday.

Another benefit of folate
Research shows that folic acid could help reduce the risk of other birth defects, such as heart, face, bladder, and other limbs. Folate also helps reduce the risk of some conditions and diseases such as:

* Cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
* Some types of cancer such as breast cancer and cervical cancer.
* The disease that affects the brain and mental function such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and depression.
* The benefits of folate was also seen in women who have risk factors for diseases, such as family history (breast cancer), high alcohol intake (breast cancer), or infection with HPV (cervical cancer). (Source; kompas.com)