Ethnicity and folate influence choline status in young women consuming controlled nutrient intakes.
OBJECTIVE
We previously demonstrated that choline and folate are interrelated and that African American women have lower folate nutriture than Caucasian and Mexican American women under conditions of controlled folate intake. The present study sought to examine the influences of ethnicity and controlled folate intake on choline status.


METHODS
Forty-two women of Mexican American (n = 14), African American (n = 14), and Caucasian American (n = 14) descent consumed a folate restricted diet (135 microg DFE/d) for 7 weeks, followed by 7 weeks of folate treatment with either 400 or 800 microg DFE/d. Total choline intake remained unchanged throughout the study at approximately 350 mg/d. Plasma choline and its derivatives were measured by LC-MS/MS at weeks 0, 7, and 14.


RESULTS
Plasma phosphatidylcholine declined during folate restriction (P < 0.001) and tended to increase in response to 800 microg DFE/d (week x folate, P = 0.099) in Mexican American and Caucasian women. For African American women, however, phosphatidylcholine continued to decline (week x race, P = 0.056). Plasma betaine was modified by ethnicity and level of folate intake (week x race x folate, P = 0.039) however no clear patterns emerged.


CONCLUSIONS
The phosphatidylcholine data suggest that the lower folate status observed in African American women may also be associated with lower choline status. In turn, diseases linked to folate may also be linked to choline.
Hung
Jean
J
Human Nutrition and Food Science Department, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, California, USA.
Abratte
Christian M
CM
Wang
Wei
W
Li
Rui
R
Moriarty
David J
DJ
Caudill
Marie A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001622:Betaine / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002794:Choline / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000097:blood; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000097:blood; D044465:White People
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D006710:Homocysteine; D001622:Betaine; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D002794:Choline