UPF 5mg Tablet
Product Info
| Prescription required | No |
| Marketer | UPS Healthcare |
| Active Ingredient | Folic Acid (5mg) |
| Storage | Store below 30°C |
| Chemical Class | Glutamic Acid Derivatives |
| Habit Forming | No |
| Therapeutic Class | BLOOD RELATED |
| Action Class | Haemopoetic agents |
| User Rating | 4.8 |
| User Reviews | 558 |
FAQ
Can UPF 5mg cause weight gain?
Animal studies on UPF 5mg suggest that taking the medicine in excess along with a high-fat diet may lead to weight gain and fat accumulation. But this weight gain was not evident when taken along with a normal or low-fat diet, even with excess UPF 5mg. In humans, similar studies have not been conducted and therefore knowledge regarding weight gain is lacking. Therefore, if you are on UPF 5mg eat a low-fat meal to be on the safer side.
Can UPF 5mg make you sick?
Generally, UPF 5mg is well tolerated. However, some people may experience nausea (feeling sick), loss of appetite, bloating, and excessive passing of gas. The medicine may also worsen the symptoms of any coexisting vitamin B12 deficiency. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor but do not stop taking UPF 5mg.
Is it ok to take UPF 5mg when not pregnant?
Usually, folic acid requirements are met from the diet and therefore additional supplements are not required. In general, UPF 5mg is recommended only when you have a deficiency of folic acid. However, UPF 5mg is advised to women who are pregnant and who want to conceive. The medicine should be taken at least 4 weeks before pregnancy and should continue its use up to 3 months of pregnancy. Consult your doctor if not sure.
When should I take UPF 5mg, in the morning or at night?
You can take UPF 5mg any time of the day, but try to take it at the same time each day. This will help you remember to take it. Take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The medicine should be swallowed as a whole with a glass of water. Do not chew, cut or crush the medicine.
How long does UPF 5mg take to work?
UPF 5mg usually starts working within a few hours of taking it. If you are taking it for iron deficiency anemia, you may start feeling better after a few weeks of taking it. In case you are taking it during pregnancy, you may not notice any difference but this does not mean that the dose is not working. Continue taking UPF 5mg for the duration recommended by your doctor.
How long do I need to take UPF 5mg?
The duration of treatment with UPF 5mg depends on the reason you are taking it for. If you are planning your pregnancy, you may start taking it 4 weeks before pregnancy and continue up to the first 3 months of pregnancy. If you are taking it for folic acid deficiency then you may have to take it for 4 months or longer (if your deficiency does not subside). If you are taking it to reduce the side effects of methotrexate then you may need to take it for as long as you are taking methotrexate. Consult your prescribing physician to know the exact duration of your therapy.
Why should women start taking UPF 5mg before they become pregnant?
Maintaining the right level of folic acid in the body before getting pregnant reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects in the baby. The neural tube defect, in most cases, is caused if the structure (neural tube) from which the central nervous system develops (brain and spinal cord) in a baby does not form or is only partially closed. full closure of the neural tube occurs during the end of the fourth week of pregnancy. Folic acid helps in the formation of neural tubes. Therefore, to prevent this defect women should start UPF 5mg before four weeks of pregnancy.
Can I breastfeed while taking UPF 5mg?
Yes, you can breastfeed while taking UPF 5mg as it is not harmful to the baby. UPF 5mg contains folic acid which is naturally found in breast milk. Though its initial levels in breast milk are low, it rises eventually. Since it is actively secreted in breast milk, the mother may take UPF 5mg every day to maintain the required levels. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions related to nutrient supplementation in breastfeeding.
What if you forget to take UPF Tablet?
If you miss a dose of UPF 5mg, please consult your doctor.
UPF 5mg Tablet Reviews
UPF 5mg is a folic acid supplement. It is used to treat a type of anemia where you have too few red blood cells because you have too little folic acid in your body. Folic acid is needed to produce the red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body.
UPF 5mg may be taken with or without food. Take it regularly and at the same time each day to get maximum benefits. Take it as a whole, do not break, chew, or crush them. Your doctor will decide the doses you need depending on the severity of your condition. It may help to eat a well-balanced diet that has enough folic acid, iron, vitamins, and minerals.
This medicine is generally well tolerated with little or no side effects. However, it may cause abdominal distension, flatulence, nausea, and weight loss in some people. While on treatment with this medicine, you may need to take blood tests to check your blood cells and iron levels, monitor your progress, and check for side effects.
Before taking it, tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma or other allergies, or high blood pressure. Let your doctor also know all the other medicines you are taking. It may be advisable to limit alcohol while on treatment with this medicine.
UPF 5mg may be taken with or without food. Take it regularly and at the same time each day to get maximum benefits. Take it as a whole, do not break, chew, or crush them. Your doctor will decide the doses you need depending on the severity of your condition. It may help to eat a well-balanced diet that has enough folic acid, iron, vitamins, and minerals.
This medicine is generally well tolerated with little or no side effects. However, it may cause abdominal distension, flatulence, nausea, and weight loss in some people. While on treatment with this medicine, you may need to take blood tests to check your blood cells and iron levels, monitor your progress, and check for side effects.
Before taking it, tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma or other allergies, or high blood pressure. Let your doctor also know all the other medicines you are taking. It may be advisable to limit alcohol while on treatment with this medicine.
How UPF 5mg Tablet Works
UPF 5mg is a form of vitamin B. It plays a vital role in the formation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. It is also essential in pregnancy due to its role in the development of the unborn baby's brain and spinal cord.
How to Use UPF 5mg Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. UPF 5mg may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
Benefits of UPF 5mg Tablet
- In Treatment of Anemia due to folic acid deficiency: Anemia is a condition where your body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body. If you do not get enough folic acid from the foods you eat (because of poor nutrition or poor absorption of the mineral), your body will produce fewer red blood cells and can cause anemia. UPF 5mg is a supplement of folic acid. It is used to treat or prevent low levels of folate in the body. Folate plays an essential role in the production of red blood cells. It can boost your levels of red blood cells and reduce the symptoms of anemia such as tiredness and weakness. Take it in the exact dose and duration as prescribed by your doctor for maximum benefits.
Uses of UPF 5mg Tablet
- Treatment of Anemia due to folic acid deficiency
UPF 5mg Tablet Side Effects
Safety Tips
Driving
SAFE
UPF 5mg does not usually affect your ability to drive.
Alcohol
CAUTION
Caution is advised when consuming alcohol with UPF 5mg. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
UPF 5mg is safe to use during pregnancy. Most studies have shown low or no risk to the developing baby.
Liver
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
There is limited information available on the use of UPF 5mg in patients with liver disease. Please consult your doctor.
Kidney
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
There is limited information available on the use of UPF 5mg in patients with kidney disease. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
UPF 5mg is safe to use during breastfeeding. Human studies suggest that the drug does not pass into the breastmilk in a significant amount and is not harmful to the baby.
Quick Tips
- Inform your doctor if you have a history of seizures as you may need a higher dose of the seizure medicines than what you normally take.
- It is also taken before and during pregnancy to decrease the risk of defects in the neural tube, which forms the spinal cord in the baby.
- UPF 5mg is used for the treatment of folic acid deficiency.
References
- Folic acid. Wrexham, Wales: Wockhardt UK Ltd.; 2010 [revised 04 Mar. 2018].
- Masters SB. Agents Used in Anemias; Hematopoetic Growth Factors. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. pp. 576-78.
- Drugs.com. Folic Acid.
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 582-90.
- Chaves RG, Lamounier JA. Breastfeeding and maternal medications. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2004;80(5 Suppl):S189-S198.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
- Kaushansky K, Kipps TJ. Hematopoietic Agents: Growth Factors, Minerals, and Vitamins. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 12th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. pp. 1092-96.