QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Achón, M. Articles by Varela-Moreiras, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Achón, M. Articles by Varela-Moreiras, G.

---

Nutrient Interactions and Toxicity

High Dietary Folate Supplementation Affects Gestational Development and Dietary Protein Utilization in Rats

Sección de Nutrición y Bromatología, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y Técnicas, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain

¹To whom correspondence should be addressed.

There is new evidence that good folate status may play a critical role in the prevention of neural tube defects and in the maintenance of adequate homocysteine levels, an amino acid recently identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This has led to different folate recommendations, all of them much higher than the present dietary recommendations. Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin with a low potential toxicity. However, the possible consequences of long-term, high folate intakes are unknown. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine the effects of long-term, high dietary folate supplementation on gestational and nutritional markers in pregnant and virgin rats. Four groups of Wistar rats were classified on the basis of physiological status (virgin or pregnant) and the experimental diets administered (folic acid supplemented, 40 mg/kg diet; or control diet, 2 mg folic acid/kg diet). Rats were fed their respective diets for 3 wk. Two critical periods were used for metabolic balance studies (experimental d 1–5 and 17–21), which involved the determination of fat and protein digestibilities as well as metabolic protein utilization (MPU) and net protein utilization (NPU). Gestational development (number of live fetuses) was adequate in both diet groups regardless of folate supplementation. However, body weight and vertex-coccyx length in fetuses from supplemented dams were less than (P < 0.0001) in fetuses of control dams. Fat and nitrogen digestibilities were not affected by supplementation, but MPU and NPU coefficients were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the folic acid-supplemented groups, irrespective of physiological status, compared to control rats. These new findings of macro-micronutrient interactions caused by high folate supplementation are discussed on the basis that the vitamin may act as a xenobiotic more than as a nutrient.

KEY WORDS: • dietary folate • pregnancy • fat and protein utilization • toxicity • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Stonek, E. Hafner, K. Philipp, L. A. Hefler, E.-K. Bentz, and C. B. Tempfer Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T Polymorphism and Pregnancy Complications Obstet. Gynecol., August 1, 2007; 110(2): 363 - 368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Ashokkumar, Z. M Mohammed, N. D Vaziri, and H. M Said Effect of folate oversupplementation on folate uptake by human intestinal and renal epithelial cells Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2007; 86(1): 159 - 166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. K. Keyes, H. Jang, J. B. Mason, Z. Liu, J. W. Crott, D. E. Smith, S. Friso, and S.-W. Choi Older Age and Dietary Folate Are Determinants of Genomic and p16-Specific DNA Methylation in Mouse Colon J. Nutr., July 1, 2007; 137(7): 1713 - 1717. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Troen, B. Mitchell, B. Sorensen, M. H. Wener, A. Johnston, B. Wood, J. Selhub, A. McTiernan, Y. Yasui, E. Oral, et al. Unmetabolized Folic Acid in Plasma Is Associated with Reduced Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity among Postmenopausal Women J. Nutr., January 1, 2006; 136(1): 189 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Roncales, M. Achon, F. Manzarbeitia, C. Maestro de las Casas, C. Ramirez, G. Varela-Moreiras, and J. Perez-Miguelsanz Folic Acid Supplementation for 4 Weeks Affects Liver Morphology in Aged Rats J. Nutr., May 1, 2004; 134(5): 1130 - 1133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Roberts, J. L. Balk, L. M. Bodnar, J. M. Belizan, E. Bergel, and A. Martinez Nutrient Involvement in Preeclampsia J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1684S - 1692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]