Vitamin B9 or folate is a water-soluble vitamin. It is also known as folic acid, and it helps form red blood cells and break down protein. Folate deficiency can lead to serious birth defects in babies when the mother doesn’t have enough folate in her body during pregnancy. In addition, some studies show that people who don’t get enough folate may have an increased risk of certain cancers, stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
8