Quick answer
The Serum Folic Acid (Folate) Test costs ₹1,000 at Live Line Health Care. Measures folate (vitamin B9) in your blood to check for a deficiency. An 8-hour fast is preferred (water allowed). It uses a blood sample and the report is usually ready within 24 hours. Book home sample collection or visit any of our 45 centres.
Also known as: Serum Folic Acid, Serum Folate, Folate Test, Folate Level, Folic Acid Level, Vitamin B9 Test
What is the Folic Acid Test?
The serum folic acid test measures the level of folate, also known as vitamin B9, in your blood. Folate is essential for making DNA and building new cells, so tissues that divide quickly, such as the bone marrow and a developing baby, are the first to suffer when it runs short. A low level can lead to megaloblastic anaemia, in which red cells grow unusually large and too few are made. Your body stores only a few months of folate, so poor diet, alcohol or illness can bring the level down fairly quickly.
Doctors often request this test when a CBC shows a high MCV, and they usually pair it with a vitamin B12 test because the two deficiencies look alike in blood. That pairing matters: taking folic acid alone can improve the anaemia of B12 deficiency while nerve damage continues unnoticed. Folate also has a special place in pregnancy, since adequate levels around conception lower the risk of neural tube defects in the baby. For that reason, folic acid tablets are widely recommended without waiting for a test. Serum folate reflects your recent intake more than long-term stores, so a single meal or tablet can change the number.
What it measures: The concentration of folate (vitamin B9) in the liquid part of your blood, mainly reflecting your recent intake.
Parameters included (1)
- Serum Folate (ng/mL)
Why is this test done?
- Finding the cause of anaemia with large red cells (high MCV)
- Checking folate along with vitamin B12 when either is suspected to be low
- Assessing nutrition in people with a poor diet, heavy alcohol use or malabsorption such as coeliac disease
- Monitoring people on medicines that affect folate, such as methotrexate or some anti-seizure medicines
- Reviewing folate status in pregnancy or in conditions where red cells break down quickly
When should you get tested?
- Tiredness, pallor and breathlessness
- A sore, red tongue or mouth ulcers
- Loss of appetite, weight loss or diarrhoea
- A high MCV on a CBC report
- Long-term heavy alcohol use or a very restricted diet
How to prepare for the Folic Acid Test
- 1Fast for about 8 hours before the sample if you can, drinking only plain water, as a recent meal can raise serum folate.
- 2Tell staff if you take folic acid, B-complex or multivitamin tablets, and when you took the last dose. If you are pregnant or were prescribed folic acid, keep taking it unless your doctor says otherwise.
- 3List medicines such as methotrexate, phenytoin, sulfasalazine or trimethoprim, which can change folate levels.
Folic Acid Test normal range
| Parameter | Typical reference range |
|---|---|
| Normal | 6–20 ng/mL |
| Possible deficiency | 3–5.9 ng/mL |
| Deficiency | Below 3 ng/mL |
| Elevated | Above 20 ng/mLusually from supplements |
Many labs print a lower limit of about 3 to 4 ng/mL, so follow your own report. Some reports use nmol/L, where 1 ng/mL is about 2.27 nmol/L. Ranges are typical adult values and vary between labs, age and sex. Always use the range printed on your report and discuss results with your doctor.
Understanding your results
- A low serum folate with a high MCV fits folate-deficiency anaemia, but your doctor will also check vitamin B12 before starting treatment.
- Low levels can come from poor diet, alcohol, pregnancy, poor absorption or medicines such as methotrexate, and finding the reason matters as much as replacing the vitamin.
- A high value usually reflects supplements or fortified foods and is rarely harmful on its own. It can also be seen in vitamin B12 deficiency, when the body cannot use folate properly.
- A normal level taken soon after a folate-rich meal or tablet may hide a long-standing shortage, so your doctor may repeat it after a fast or ask for more tests.
Health packages that include this test
The Folic Acid Test is included in these full body checkups:
Folic Acid Test – FAQs
What is the price of the Folic Acid Test?
The Serum Folic Acid (Folate) Test costs ₹1,000 at Live Line Health Care, at all 45 centres and for home sample collection.
Is folic acid the same as folate?
They are closely related. Folate is the natural form found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, lentils and citrus fruits. Folic acid is the man-made form used in tablets and fortified foods. The body uses both as vitamin B9, and this test reports them as serum folate.
Why do doctors check vitamin B12 and folic acid together?
Both shortages cause the same large red cell anaemia, so a CBC cannot separate them. It matters because folic acid alone can correct the anaemia of B12 deficiency while nerve damage goes on. Testing both helps your doctor choose the right treatment, in the right order.
Do I need this test before taking folic acid in pregnancy?
Usually not. Doctors commonly advise folic acid before conception and in early pregnancy without testing, because it lowers the risk of neural tube defects. The test may be useful if you have anaemia, a poor diet or take medicines that affect folate. Follow your obstetrician's advice on the dose.
Can I take folic acid tablets on the day of the test?
Ask your doctor. Tablets raise serum folate within hours, so the result may look higher than your usual level. If you are pregnant or on prescribed folic acid, do not stop it on your own. Tell staff when you took your last dose so the result can be read correctly.
What does low folic acid cause?
Over time, a low level can cause anaemia with tiredness, breathlessness and a sore tongue. In pregnancy, low folate around conception raises the risk of neural tube defects in the baby. A doctor can confirm the cause and advise treatment, which is usually simple tablets and dietary changes.
What is the difference between serum folate and red cell folate?
Serum folate, measured here, reflects what you have eaten or taken in recent days. Red cell folate reflects your stores over the past 2 to 3 months, so it is less affected by one meal. For most people, serum folate along with a CBC gives doctors enough to act on.
Where can I get the Folic Acid Test done?
At any of our 45 Live Line Health Care centres in 40 cities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Kakinada and Nellore, or book home sample collection.
Medical disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor to interpret your results and before starting or changing any treatment.