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Intake and status of folate and related B-vitamins: considerations and challenges in achieving optimal status.
Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun; 99 Suppl 3:S48-54.BJ

Abstract

Folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, have attracted much scientific and public health interest in recent years. Apart from a well established role in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs), evidence is emerging to support other potential roles for folate and/or related B-vitamins in protecting against cardiovascular disease (especially stroke), certain cancers, cognitive impairment and osteoporosis. However, typical folate intakes are sub-optimal, in that although adequate in preventing clinical folate deficiency (i.e. megaloblastic anaemia) in most people, they are generally insufficient to achieve a folate status associated with the lowest risk of NTDs. Natural food folates have a limited ability to enhance folate status as a result of their poor stability under typical cooking conditions and incomplete bioavailability when compared with the synthetic vitamin, folic acid (as found in supplements and fortified foods). Current folate recommendations to prevent NTDs (based primarily on folic acid supplementation) have been found to be ineffective in several European countries. In contrast, in North America and Chile, the policy of mandatory folic acid-fortification has proven itself in terms of lowering the prevalence of NTD, but remains controversial because of concerns regarding potential risks of chronic exposure to high-dose folic acid. In the case of vitamin B12, the achievement of an optimal status is particularly difficult for many older people because of the common problem of food-bound B12 malabsorption. Finally, there is evidence that riboflavin status is generally low in the UK population, and particularly so in younger women; this warrants further investigation.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

McNulty H
The Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland. h.mcnulty@ulster.ac.uk
Scott JM
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAgedBiomarkersDietDietary SupplementsFemaleFolic AcidHomocysteineHumansMiddle AgedNutritional RequirementsNutritional StatusRiboflavinVitamin B 12Vitamin B 6Vitamins

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

18598588

Citation

McNulty, Helene, and John M. Scott. "Intake and Status of Folate and Related B-vitamins: Considerations and Challenges in Achieving Optimal Status." The British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 99 Suppl 3, 2008, pp. S48-54.
McNulty H, Scott JM. Intake and status of folate and related B-vitamins: considerations and challenges in achieving optimal status. Br J Nutr. 2008;99 Suppl 3:S48-54.
McNulty, H., & Scott, J. M. (2008). Intake and status of folate and related B-vitamins: considerations and challenges in achieving optimal status. The British Journal of Nutrition, 99 Suppl 3, S48-54. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114508006855
McNulty H, Scott JM. Intake and Status of Folate and Related B-vitamins: Considerations and Challenges in Achieving Optimal Status. Br J Nutr. 2008;99 Suppl 3:S48-54. PubMed PMID: 18598588.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Intake and status of folate and related B-vitamins: considerations and challenges in achieving optimal status. AU - McNulty,Helene, AU - Scott,John M, PY - 2008/7/5/pubmed PY - 2008/9/27/medline PY - 2008/7/5/entrez SP - S48 EP - 54 JF - The British journal of nutrition JO - Br J Nutr VL - 99 Suppl 3 N2 - Folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, have attracted much scientific and public health interest in recent years. Apart from a well established role in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs), evidence is emerging to support other potential roles for folate and/or related B-vitamins in protecting against cardiovascular disease (especially stroke), certain cancers, cognitive impairment and osteoporosis. However, typical folate intakes are sub-optimal, in that although adequate in preventing clinical folate deficiency (i.e. megaloblastic anaemia) in most people, they are generally insufficient to achieve a folate status associated with the lowest risk of NTDs. Natural food folates have a limited ability to enhance folate status as a result of their poor stability under typical cooking conditions and incomplete bioavailability when compared with the synthetic vitamin, folic acid (as found in supplements and fortified foods). Current folate recommendations to prevent NTDs (based primarily on folic acid supplementation) have been found to be ineffective in several European countries. In contrast, in North America and Chile, the policy of mandatory folic acid-fortification has proven itself in terms of lowering the prevalence of NTD, but remains controversial because of concerns regarding potential risks of chronic exposure to high-dose folic acid. In the case of vitamin B12, the achievement of an optimal status is particularly difficult for many older people because of the common problem of food-bound B12 malabsorption. Finally, there is evidence that riboflavin status is generally low in the UK population, and particularly so in younger women; this warrants further investigation. SN - 1475-2662 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/18598588/Intake_and_status_of_folate_and_related_B_vitamins:_considerations_and_challenges_in_achieving_optimal_status_ L2 - https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0007114508006855/type/journal_article DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -