Effect of different dosage and administration schedules of folic acid on blood folate levels in a population of Honduran women of reproductive age.
BACKGROUND
Observational studies and clinical trials have shown conclusive evidence that periconceptional folic acid supplementation prevents up to 70 % of neural tube defects (NTD). The Honduran government wanted to implement a supplementation programme of folic acid but needed to assess the relative effects of two dosages of folic acid.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of two dosages of folic acid on blood folate levels in Honduran female factory workers aged 18 to 49 years.


METHODS
This was a randomized, double-blind control supplementation trial conducted in Choloma, Honduras. A total of 140 eligible women were randomly assigned to two dosage groups and followed up for 12 weeks. One group received a daily dosage of 1 mg folic acid and the other a once weekly dosage of 5 mg. Serum folate and red blood cell folate levels were determined by radioassay at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks.


RESULTS
Serum folate levels increased from 6.3 (se 0.2) to 14.9 (se 0.6) ng/ml (P < 0.0001) in women assigned to the 1 mg/d group and from 6.9 (se 0.3) to 10.1 (se 0.4) ng/ml (P < 0.0001) in those assigned to the 5 mg/week group. Red blood cell folate concentrations also increased significantly in both groups, albeit more slowly. Educational level, age and BMI were not associated with the changes in serum and red blood cell folate levels during the supplementation period. However, a differential effect on serum folate levels by dosage group and time was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Although both folate supplementation regimens increased serum and red blood cell folate levels significantly among the women studied, blood folate levels that are considered to be protective of NTD were reached faster with the daily dosage of 1 mg folic acid.
Rosenthal
J
J
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. jyr4@cdc.gov
Milla
G
G
Flores
A
A
Yon
M
M
Pfeiffer
C
C
Umaña
E
E
Skerrette
N
N
Barahona
F
F
D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D006721:Honduras; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D005492:Folic Acid