Eat iron-rich foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dried beans and fortified grains. The form of iron in meat products, called heme, is more easily absorbed than the iron in vegetables.

Your body needs iron and other nutrients to make hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells. So it's important to get a regular supply of iron as well as vitamin B12, folate, and protein. You can get these nutrients by eating a balanced diet or taking dietary supplements.

How to prevent anemia, prevention of anemia, FOLSAN 0.4 mg tablets Application:

Folsan® 0.4 mg is an agent for the prevention of anemia and to prevent neural tube defects in newborns.
Folsan® 0.4 mg is used to:
- Prevent folic acid deficiency states when sufficient
folic acid intake with food is not possible.
— Prevention of neural tube defects in newborns through preventive treatment of women before and during pregnancy.
Taking folic acid is also recommended with a wholesome diet.

Important information about certain other ingredients
of Folsan® 0.4 mg:
This medicine contains lactose and sucrose.

Active ingredients

0.4 mg folic acid

ingredients

Stearic acid
Magnesium stearate
Sucrose
Cornstarch
Lactose-1-water
Macrogol 4000

Indication :

The medicine is an agent for preventing anemia and preventing neural tube defects in newborns
The medicine is used for:
- Prevention of folic acid deficiency states when sufficient folic acid intake with food is not possible.
- Prevention of neural tube defects in newborns through preventive treatment of women before and during pregnancy. Taking folic acid is also recommended with a wholesome diet.

Dosage :

Always take the medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Unless otherwise prescribed by the doctor, the usual dose is
- Prevention of folic acid deficiency: One tablet daily (corresponding to 0.4 mg folic acid). On medical advice, the dose can be increased to two tablets daily (corresponding to 0.8 mg folic acid).
- Prevention of neural tube defects in newborns: It is recommended that pregnant women and women who want to have children take one tablet daily (corresponding to 0.4 mg folic acid). On medical advice, this dose can be increased to two tablets daily (corresponding to 0.8 mg folic acid).

Duration of application:
- Prevention of folic acid deficiency: The treating doctor decides on the duration of use.
- Prevention of neural tube defects in newborns: It is important that you start taking the tablets before pregnancy (preferably four weeks before). The treatment should then be continued for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
- Please talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have the impression that the effect of the medicine is too strong or too weak.

If you take more of the medicine than you should:
- With occasional higher doses, no overdose symptoms are to be expected.
- However, patients with seizure disorders may experience an increase in the tendency to convulsions.
- At high doses (over 15 mg per day and for longer than four weeks) gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disorders, agitation and depression may occur. In these cases you should contact your doctor.

If you forget to take the medicine:
- Do not take a double dose if you forget to take the previous dose, but continue taking the tablets as normal.

If you stop taking the medicine:
- Before you decide to stop taking the tablets on your own, talk to your doctor about it. Continuous intake is required to prevent neural tube defects in newborns.

If you have any further questions about using the medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Way :

The tablets are taken whole with meals with sufficient liquid.

Side effects :

Like all medicines, this can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
- The frequency information is based on the following categories:
  - Very common: more than 1 patient in 10
  - Common: 1 to 10 treated in 100
  - Uncommon: 1 to 10 people treated in 1,000
  - Rare: 1 to 10 people treated in 10,000
  - Very rare: less than 1 person treated in 10,000
  - Not known: Frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
- Significant side effects or signs to look out for and actions to take if affected:
  - Side effects:
    - In individual cases, hypersensitivity reactions can occur, for example in the form of skin redness (erythema), itching, shortness of breath (bronchospasm), nausea or circulatory collapse (anaphylactic shock).
    - At very high doses, gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disorders, agitation and depression can occur.
    - If 5-fluorouracil is administered at the same time, high doses of folic acid can lead to mucosal damage (e.g. in the form of severe diarrhea).
  - Countermeasures:
    - Please inform the doctor about any side effects that have occurred so that he can treat them specifically if necessary.
- Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of the side effects listed get serious or if you notice any side effects not listed here.

Interactions :

When taking the medicine with other medicines:
- Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, even if they are non-prescription medicines.
- Treatment with anti-seizure medications (anticonvulsants) can lead to an increase in the tendency to convulsions.
- When high doses are administered, it cannot be ruled out that folic acid and folic acid inhibitors administered at the same time (folic acid antagonists), such as: B. certain drugs against bacterial infections or malaria (trimethoprim, proguanil, pyrimethamine) and methotrexate (active ingredient for the treatment of tumors, among other things), inhibit each other's effects.
- The simultaneous administration of high doses of folic acid with 5-fluorouracil (an agent used to treat tumors) causes an increase in the effectiveness and also the toxicity of 5-fluorouracil.
- Chloramphenicol (an active ingredient used to treat infections) may prevent the response to treatment with folic acid.

Contraindications :

The medicine must not be taken
- if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to folic acid or any of the other ingredients of the medicine.
- if you suffer from megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency without concurrent vitamin B12 treatment.
- if you suffer from megaloblastic anemia of unknown cause, as long as a vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be ruled out.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding :

Pregnancy and breast feeding period:
- There are no known risks.

Patient information :

Particular caution is required when taking the medicine
- if there is a risk of megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. If progressive megaloblastic anemia is left untreated, there is a risk of permanent damage to the nervous system.

Ability to drive and use machines:
- No effects are expected in terms of impairment of the ability to drive or use machines.

How to prevent anemia, prevention of anemia, FOLSAN 0.4 mg tablets