title: EURRECA-Estimating folate requirements for deriving dietary reference values.
abstract: In most countries, the dietary folate intake associated with adequate status of red cell folate and/or serum folate provides the basis for formulating reference values. One of the major challenges in setting dietary reference values for folate, however, is the need to account for the differences in bioavailability between the natural forms of the vitamin and the synthetic form, folic acid, albeit to date, few countries in Europe take bioavailability into consideration. A series of systematic reviews that included only those studies which used the most robust measures of both folate intake and folate status were carried out by the EURRECA Network of Excellence to examine the relationships between folate intake, status, and a number of health outcomes relevant to specific stages of the lifecycle. This review summarizes the available evidence and the issues to consider in the setting of dietary reference values for folate.
authors: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. l.hoey@ulster.ac.uk
authors: Leane
authors: L
authors: Hoey
authors: Helene
authors: H
authors: McNulty
authors: Maresa E
authors: ME
authors: Duffy
authors: Catherine F
authors: CF
authors: Hughes
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Strain
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005060:Europe; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009752:Nutritional Status; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid