title: Folate status response to controlled folate intake in pregnant women.
abstract: A metabolic study (84-d) was conducted to investigate the folate status response of pregnant subjects (n = 12) during their second trimester and nonpregnant controls (n = 12) to folate intakes approximating the current (400 microg/d) and former (800 microg/d) recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The overall goal of the study was to provide metabolic data to assist in the interpretation of the current RDA for folate. Subjects were fed a controlled diet containing 120 +/- 15 microg/d (mean +/- SD) folate and either 330 or 730 microg/d synthetic folic acid. Outcome variables between and within supplementation groups were compared at steady state. Serum folate was higher (P </= 0.05) in pregnant women consuming 850 compared with 450 microg/d (44.6 +/- 13.4, 26.3 +/- 11.3 nmol/L, respectively, mean +/- SD). No differences (P > 0.05) were detected in serum folate between pregnant and nonpregnant women within the same supplementation group. Urinary 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate excretion was greater (P </= 0.05) in pregnant women consuming 850 compared with 450 microg/d (198.0 +/- 100.4, 9.5 +/- 3.2 nmol/d, respectively). No differences (P > 0.05) in 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate excretion were detected between pregnant and nonpregnant women within supplementation groups. Differences (P </= 0.05) were not detected in red cell folate between pregnant women consuming either 450 or 850 microg/d (1452.5 +/- 251.8, 1733.5 +/- 208.5 nmol/L, respectively) or between pregnant and nonpregnant women consuming 450 microg/d. Our data suggest that 450 microg/d (dietary folate + synthetic folic acid) is sufficient to maintain folate status in pregnant women. This level of intake equates to approximately 600 microg/d dietary equivalents, assuming 50 and 75% availability of dietary folate and synthetic folic acid consumed with meals, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, Department of Statistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caudill
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hutson
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D005492:Folic Acid; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate