OBJECTIVES Inhabitants of the subarctic region of the Eastern James Bay of Northern Quebec consume a diet low in folate. This is largely secondary to poor access to plant-foods and a preferred diet high in meat, fowl, and fish as in many other northern populations. Furthermore, there is a high frequency of spina bifida in the Cree of the region. It was hypothesized that genetically altered fola...

Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that dietary folate may protect against colorectal carcinogenesis. The epidemiological relationship between a biochemical measure of folate status and colorectal neoplasia in a sizeable and generally healthy population does not yet appear to have been reported. We conducted a case-control study of the relationships among red cell folate, plasma...

in food sensitization rates were first observed at age 3 years, these differences between the 2 folate groups were not statistically significant until age 6 years. Because of the modest sample size, we were unable to determine whether the risk of food sensitization was also borne out as an increased risk in likely food allergy. The mechanisms underlying our observations are unclear. Although fo...

BACKGROUND Folic acid plays a fundamental role in cell division and differentiation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with infantile neurological and cognitive development. Thus, optimal intrauterine development and growth requires adequate supply of these nutrients during pregnancy. METHODS Healthy pregnant women, aged 18-41 years, were recruited in Granada (Spain; n = 62), Mun...

This study assessed folate intakes, folate concentrations in plasma and erythrocytes, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration, and urinary excretion of folate metabolites in Korean women with childbearing potential. A total of 23 women voluntarily participated in this study. Precise dietary intakes for 3 consecutive days were determined by weighing all foods consumed and folate intake wa...

BACKGROUND A woman's nutritional status before conception and during pregnancy is important for maternal health and the health of the foetus. The aim of the study was to compare diet intake in early pregnant women with non-pregnant women. METHODS Between September 2006 and March 2009, 226 women in early pregnancy were consecutively recruited at five antenatal clinics in Northern Sweden. Refer...

BACKGROUND The only treatment for celiac disease is the gluten-free diet. Few studies have assessed the nutritional adequacy of this diet, especially of B vitamins related to homocysteine metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status and serum concentrations of B vitamins involved in homocysteine metabolism, and to determine whether the dietary intake of these vitamins ...

BACKGROUND Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy), a risk factor for many chronic diseases, can be remethylated to methionine by folate. Alternatively, tHcy can be metabolized by other 1-carbon nutrients, ie, betaine and its precursor, choline. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the association between the dietary intakes of betaine and choline and the concentration of tHcy. DESIGN We conducted a cro...

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Very large increases in blood folate levels of the U.S. population occurred between 1988-1994 and 1999-2000. Small fluctuations in blood folate levels occurred over the time period 1999-2006. The median red blood cell (RBC) folate level of the U.S. population 4 years of age and older was 266 ng/mL in 2005-2006. The median serum fo...

1. Folate was measured microbiologically with Lactobacillus casei in extracts from a range of different foods at two incubation pH values, 6.1 and 6.8. 2. The values for folate content obtained at pH 6.2 were, in several instances, considerably higher than at pH 6.8. The 'positive drift' seen in the values for dilutions incubated at pH 6.8 were absent from results at pH 6.2. 3. A comparison was...