title: Fortified mineral water improves folate status and decreases plasma homocysteine concentration in pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no mandatory folic acid fortification of food in Finland. We investigated the effects of mineral water fortified with folic acid, vitamins B6, B12, D and calcium on serum and erythrocyte folate concentrations, serum vitamin B12 and plasma homocysteine concentrations in pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group intervention study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four pregnant women were recruited from two health care units. The study began at the eleventh week with a two-week run-in period, followed by an eight-week intervention period. The diet was monitored by food records. During the intervention, subjects consumed 1000 mL/day fortified or normal mineral water. The pregnancies were monitored carefully.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The folate intake was 255 microg/day in the study group and 274 microg/day in the controls. Serum folate concentrations increased in the study group by 10.3 nmol/L and decreased in the controls by 2.7 nmol/L (P<0.05) during the study. The erythrocyte folate concentrations increased in the study group by 360.9 nmol/L and in the controls by 195.6 nmol/L (P=0.004) and serum homocysteine concentrations fell by 1.1 micromol/L and by 0.3 micromol/L, respectively (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Finnish pregnant women have low dietary folate intake. Fortified mineral water improved folate status and reduced plasma homocysteine concentrations in the pregnant subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. jouko.jarvenpaa@ppshp.fi
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Järvenpää
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: Mervi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Päkkilä
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Punnonen
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ryynänen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D008900:Mineral Waters; D006710:Homocysteine; D014807:Vitamin D; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D002118:Calcium