Increased plasma homocyst(e)ine after withdrawal of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal from the diet: prevention by breakfast cereal providing 200 microg folic acid.
OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that cessation of habitual ingestion of breakfast cereals would be associated with elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine concentrations. We anticipated that those subjects who reported consuming breakfast cereals containing 100 to 400 ,microg of folic acid per serving before entering the study would achieve higher plasma homocyst(e)ine concentrations if, in addition to their regular diet, they began ingesting a daily serving of breakfast cereal that contained less than 10 microg of folic acid per serving.


METHODS
Seventy-nine subjects consumed a daily serving of breakfast cereal containing either < 10 microg or folic acid per serving (placebo) or breakfast cereal containing 200 microg of folic acid per serving (folic acid fortified).


RESULTS
Cessation of intake of commercially available breakfast cereal was associated with homocyst(e)ine elevation. Breakfast cereal containing 200 microg folic acid per day was sufficient to maintain the homocyst(e)ine lowering effects of commercial cereals.


CONCLUSIONS
Habitual consumption of commercially available fortified breakfast cereals, usually containing 100 to 400 microg folic acid per serving, had significant homocyst(e)ine lowering effects as shown by the homocyst(e)ine increase after cessation of habitual intake of commercial breakfast cereal. Substitution of breakfast cereal containing only 200 microg folic acid per day was sufficient to maintain the homocyst(e)inelowering effects of commercial cereals.
Malinow
M R
MR
Department of Pathobiology, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton 97006-3448, USA. malinowr@ohsu.edu
Duell
P B
PB
Irvin-Jones
A
A
Upson
B M
BM
Graf
E E
EE
D000368:Aged; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006711:Homocystine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis
D014815:Vitamins; D006710:Homocysteine; D006711:Homocystine; D005492:Folic Acid