Persistent tiredness and headaches are common symptoms and may have various causes, but should not be viewed as normal. Among the possible explanations is the lack of a nutrient essential to the production of red blood cells and the normal functioning of the brain: folate.
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23/09/2026
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Psome people, tiredness and headaches are so frequent that they are already part of the routine. But these are symptoms that should not be ignored.
Fatigue and headaches are the way the body finds to communicate that there are some things wrong. The reasons can be diverse, since lack of sleep or water or essential vitamins.
However, there is one particular nutrient that is easy to ignore, according to a HuffPost article.
Folate: Why is it important
Identifying the cause of fatigue is very important. The lack of proteins or iron may be the source, but not only.
One of the nutrients you may be neglecting is folate. Neurologist Nada Hindiyeh alerts this. “ Folate is essential for the production of healthy red blood cells. Without enough, people can develop anemia. That’s why they always feel tired, weak or short of breath”.
Hindiyeh explained that the symptoms of lack of folate manifest over time, and may lead to consequences such as headaches and cognitive problems.
“ When someone becomes anemic, they can develop symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and sometimes headaches. If a headache occurs, it is usually due to anemia and not directly to vitamin deficiency,” Hindiyeh said.
Folate deficiency can also negatively affect long-term brain health, especially with regard to memory.
According to a study of 2022 published in the European Journal for Clinical Nutrition, low folate levels were associated with an accelerated decline in cognitive function, revealing an important marker of cognitive decline in older adults.
Shivang Joshi, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Massachusetts, revealed to HuffPost that many people with folate deficiency also have low levels of vitamin B12, associated with memory problems and cognitive decline, according to a 2020 study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health, & Aging.
“ Folate is important for the normal functioning of the brain, so its severe deficiency has been associated with cognitive changes. But memory is complex,” Hindiyeh shared.
What foods are rich in folate?
Folate is found in various foods, including vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans, seafood, eggs, dairy, meat, poultry, and grain.