scholarly journals The Concept of Folic Acid in Health and Disease

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 3731
Author(s):  
Yulia Shulpekova ◽  
Vladimir Nechaev ◽  
Svetlana Kardasheva ◽  
Alla Sedova ◽  
Anastasia Kurbatova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Intestinal Bacteria ◽  
Folate Deficiency ◽  
The Body ◽  
Substrate Affinity ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Ischemic Events ◽  
High Metabolic Activity ◽  
Cerebral Folate Deficiency

Folates have a pterine core structure and high metabolic activity due to their ability to accept electrons and react with O-, S-, N-, C-bounds. Folates play a role as cofactors in essential one-carbon pathways donating methyl-groups to choline phospholipids, creatine, epinephrine, DNA. Compounds similar to folates are ubiquitous and have been found in different animals, plants, and microorganisms. Folates enter the body from the diet and are also synthesized by intestinal bacteria with consequent adsorption from the colon. Three types of folate and antifolate cellular transporters have been found, differing in tissue localization, substrate affinity, type of transferring, and optimal pH for function. Laboratory criteria of folate deficiency are accepted by WHO. Severe folate deficiencies, manifesting in early life, are seen in hereditary folate malabsorption and cerebral folate deficiency. Acquired folate deficiency is quite common and is associated with poor diet and malabsorption, alcohol consumption, obesity, and kidney failure. Given the observational data that folates have a protective effect against neural tube defects, ischemic events, and cancer, food folic acid fortification was introduced in many countries. However, high physiological folate concentrations and folate overload may increase the risk of impaired brain development in embryogenesis and possess a growth advantage for precancerous altered cells.

scholarly journals Folate status in women of childbearing age in the Urban Metropolitan Region of Chile: results from the National Health Survey 2016–2017

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Dolores Busso ◽  
Guadalupe Echeverría ◽  
Alvaro Passi-Solar ◽  
Fernanda Morales ◽  
Marcelo Farías ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Folate Deficiency ◽  
National Health Survey ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Serum Folate ◽  
Women Of Childbearing Age ◽  
Childbearing Age ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification

Abstract Objective: To analyse serum folate levels in women of childbearing age in the Metropolitan Region (MR) of Chile. Design: Cross-sectional design as part of the 2016–2017 National Health Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Salud, ENS 2016–2017), using a household-based multistage stratified random sample. Serum folate levels measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in fasting venous blood samples were classified as deficient (<4·4 ng/ml), normal (4·4–20 ng/ml) or supraphysiological (>20 ng/ml). Setting: The MR of Chile. Participants: Women of reproductive age (15–49 years, n 222) from the MR participated in the ENS 2016–2017. Results: The mean, median and range of serum folate were 14·2 (se 0·4), 13·9 and 2·1–32·2 ng/ml, respectively. Folate deficiency was detected in 0·9 % of women, while 7·0 % had supraphysiological levels of the vitamin. No significant effects of age, educational level, marital status, parity, smoking status or nutritional status on serum folate levels were detected by univariate or multivariate analyses. Intake of folic acid supplements showed a significant association with serum folate levels, but only 1·2 % of women used supplements. Conclusions: Folate deficiency in women of reproductive age living in the MR of Chile is almost inexistent according to the ENS 2016–2017, suggesting that the current population-wide mandatory folic acid fortification of flour is an effective and equitable measure to prevent folate deficiency. These results support the option of maintaining current folic acid fortification in Chile, particularly based on the low adherence to supplementation regimes evidenced in other populations.

A Public Health Success Story: Folic Acid Fortification and Supplementation for Prevention of Neural Tube Defects

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Longerich ◽  
Roy West ◽  
Ed Randell ◽  
Marian Crowley ◽  
Shiliang Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Folic Acid ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Success Story ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification

Folate Nutritional Status among Psoriasis Patients not Exposed to Antifolate Drug

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-553
Author(s):  
Luciana Y. Tomita ◽  
Andréia C. da Costa ◽  
Solange Andreoni ◽  
Luiza K.M. Oyafuso ◽  
Vânia D’Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Model ◽  
Folate Intake ◽  
Serum Folate ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification ◽  
Plasma Folate ◽  
Psoriasis Severity

Background: Folic acid fortification program has been established to prevent tube defects. However, concern has been raised among patients using anti-folate drug, i.e. psoriatic patients, a common, chronic, autoimmune inflammatory skin disease associated with obesity and smoking. Objective: To investigate dietary and circulating folate, vitamin B12 (B12) and homocysteine (hcy) in psoriatic subjects exposed to the national mandatory folic acid fortification program. Methods: Cross-sectional study using the Food Frequency Questionnaire, plasma folate, B12, hcy and psoriasis severity using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. Median, interquartile ranges (IQRs) and linear regression models were conducted to investigate factors associated with plasma folate, B12 and hcy. Results: 82 (73%) mild psoriasis, 18 (16%) moderate and 12 (11%) severe psoriasis. 58% female, 61% non-white, 31% former smokers, and 20% current smokers. Median (IQRs) were 51 (40, 60) years. Only 32% reached the Estimated Average Requirement of folate intake. Folate and B12 deficiencies were observed in 9% and 6% of the blood sample respectively, but hyperhomocysteinaemia in 21%. Severity of psoriasis was negatively correlated with folate and B12 concentrations. In a multiple linear regression model, folate intake contributed positively to 14% of serum folate, and negative predictors were psoriasis severity, smoking habits and saturated fatty acid explaining 29% of circulating folate. Conclusion: Only one third reached dietary intake of folate, but deficiencies of folate and B12 were low. Psoriasis severity was negatively correlated with circulating folate and B12. Stopping smoking and a folate rich diet may be important targets for managing psoriasis.

scholarly journals Epidemiology and (Patho)Physiology of Folic Acid Supplement Use in Obese Women before and during Pregnancy

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 331
Author(s):  
Melissa van der Windt ◽  
Sam Schoenmakers ◽  
Bas van Rijn ◽  
Sander Galjaard ◽  
Régine Steegers-Theunissen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Folate Deficiency ◽  
Folate Intake ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Obese Women ◽  
Folic Acid Supplement ◽  
Physiological Uptake ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Acid Supplement

Preconception folic acid supplement use is a well-known method of primary prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs). Obese women are at a higher risk for having a child with a NTD. As different international recommendations on folic acid supplement use for obese women before and during pregnancy exist, this narrative review provides an overview of epidemiology of folate deficiency in obese (pre)pregnant women, elaborates on potential mechanisms underlying folate deficiency, and discusses considerations for the usage of higher doses of folic acid supplements. Women with obesity more often suffer from an absolute folate deficiency, as they are less compliant to periconceptional folic acid supplement use recommendations. In addition, their dietary folate intake is limited due to an unbalanced diet (relative malnutrition). The association of obesity and NTDs also seems to be independent of folate intake, with studies suggesting an increased need of folate (relative deficiency) due to derangements involved in other pathways. The relative folate deficiency, as a result of an increased metabolic need for folate in obese women, can be due to: (1) low-grade chronic inflammation (2) insulin resistance, (3) inositol, and (4) dysbiotic gut microbiome, which plays a role in folate production and uptake. In all these pathways, the folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism is involved. In conclusion, scientific evidence of the involvement of several folate-related pathways implies to increase the recommended folic acid supplementation in obese women. However, the physiological uptake of synthetic folic acid is limited and side-effects of unmetabolized folic acid in mothers and offspring, in particular variations in epigenetic (re)programming with long-term health effects, cannot be excluded. Therefore, we emphasize on the urgent need for further research and preconception personalized counseling on folate status, lifestyle, and medical conditions.

Effects of maternal and post-weaned rumen-protected folic acid supplementation on slaughter performance and meat quality in the offspring lambs

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
H.Q. Li ◽  
B. Wang ◽  
Z. Li ◽  
H.L. Luo ◽  
C. Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Meat Quality ◽  
Maternal Diet ◽  
Folic Acid Supplementation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Morphological Development ◽  
Muscle Area ◽  
Eye Muscle ◽  
Slaughter Performance

Abstract This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of rumen-protected folic acid (RPFA) on slaughter performance, visceral organ and gastrointestinal tract coefficients, and meat quality in lambs. Sixty-six lambs from 120 Hu ewes were selected based on body weight and maternal diets, and then assigned to six groups using a randomized block experimental design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. The first factor was folic acid (FA) as RPFA in the maternal diet (0 mg/kg [M0F], 16 mg/kg [M16F] or 32 mg/kg [M32F] on dry matter basis). The second factor was FA in the lambs’ diet from weaning until slaughter (0 mg/kg [OC] or 4.0 mg/kg [OF]). The results indicated that the addition of 16 mg/kg FA to the maternal diet increased pre-slaughter weight (PSW), dressing and meat percentage, the reticulum and omasum coefficients, length of the jejunum and ileum, tail fat and perirenal fat coefficient and a* value of the meat color. The addition of RPFA to the lambs’ diet increased PSW, dressing and meat percentage, eye muscle area, abomasum weight, weight and length of the small intestine, but reduced the coefficients of tail fat. A M×O interaction was observed for the weights of heart, lungs, rumen and total stomach, weight and coefficient of omental fat and the GR value. Collectively, RPFA in the maternal and lambs’ diet improved slaughter performance and meat quality by stimulating the morphological development of the gastrointestinal tract and the distribution of fat in the body.

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