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 Venn, B. J. Articles by Mann, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Venn, B. J. Articles by Mann, J.

---

Human Nutrition and Metabolism – Research Communication

Increases in Blood Folate Indices Are Similar in Women of Childbearing Age Supplemented with [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate and Folic Acid¹

Bernard J. Venn^*, Timothy J. Green^*2, Rudolf Moser^**, Joanne E. Mckenzie, C. Murray Skeaff^* and Jim Mann^*

^* Department of Human Nutrition and Preventive and Social Medicine University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand and ^** Eprova AG, Im Laternenacker 5, CH-8200, Schaffhausen, Switzerland

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tim.green{at}stonebow.otago.ac.nz.

The natural diastereoisomer [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate ([6S]-5-MTHF) may be a safer fortificant than folic acid for neural tube defect (NTD) prevention because it is unlikely to mask vitamin B-12 deficiency. An inverse relationship between NTD risk and blood folate concentrations has been reported. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, we compared the effects of [6S]-5-MTHF and folic acid supplementation for 24 wk on plasma folate and red cell folate (RCF) in women of childbearing age (18–49 y). Women (n = 104) were randomly assigned to receive a supplement containing [6S]-5-MTHF (113 µg/d), folic acid (100 µg/d) or placebo. The mean estimated linear increase in plasma folate concentration was 0.3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1, 0.5], and 0.4 (0.2, 0.6) nmol/(L · wk) in the [6S]-5-MTHF and folic acid groups, respectively. The mean estimated linear increase in RCF was 7.4 (95% CI: 4.5, 10.3), and 8.3 (4.4, 12.3) nmol/(L · wk) in the [6S]-5-MTHF and folic acid groups, respectively. There were no differences in the slopes between the [6S]-5-MTHF group and the folic acid group in either plasma folate (P = 0.48) or RCF (P = 0.70). At 24 wk, estimated mean increases in plasma folate concentrations were 6.9 (95% CI: 1.7, 12.2) and 9.2 (3.3, 15.1) nmol/L, and in RCF, 251 (143, 360) and 275 (148, 402) nmol/L, in the [6S]-5-MTHF and folic acid groups, respectively, relative to the placebo group. These data suggest that low dose [6S]-5-MTHF and folic acid supplementation increase blood folate indices to a similar extent. A steady state in the blood indices had not been reached by 24 wk.

KEY WORDS: • [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate supplementation • folic acid supplementation • plasma folate • red blood cell folate • women

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Lamers and K. Pietrzik Reply to EP Quinlivan Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2008; 87(5): 1538 - 1539. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Pietrzik, Y. Lamers, S. Bramswig, and R. Prinz-Langenohl Calculation of red blood cell folate steady state conditions and elimination kinetics after daily supplementation with various folate forms and doses in women of childbearing age Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2007; 86(5): 1414 - 1419. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Lamers, R. Prinz-Langenohl, S. Bramswig, and K. Pietrzik Red blood cell folate concentrations increase more after supplementation with [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate than with folic acid in women of childbearing age Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2006; 84(1): 156 - 161. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. A Houghton, K. L Sherwood, R. Pawlosky, S. Ito, and D. L O'Connor [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate is at least as effective as folic acid in preventing a decline in blood folate concentrations during lactation. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2006; 83(4): 842 - 850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Ortega, A. M. Requejo, A. M. Lopez-Sobaler, B. Navia, M. C. Mena, B. Basabe, and P. Andres Smoking and Passive Smoking as Conditioners of Folate Status in Young Women J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2004; 23(4): 365 - 371. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Lamers, R. Prinz-Langenohl, R. Moser, and K. Pietrzik Supplementation with [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate or folic acid equally reduces plasma total homocysteine concentrations in healthy women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2004; 79(3): 473 - 478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Pentieva, H. McNulty, R. Reichert, M. Ward, J. J. Strain, D. J. McKillop, J. M. McPartlin, E. Connolly, A. Molloy, K. Kramer, et al. The Short-Term Bioavailabilities of [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate and Folic Acid Are Equivalent in Men J. Nutr., March 1, 2004; 134(3): 580 - 585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]