Three-month B vitamin supplementation in pre-school children affects folate status and homocysteine, but not cognitive performance.
BACKGROUND
Suboptimal vitamin B status might affect cognitive performance in early childhood. We tested the hypothesis that short-term supplementation with folic acid and selected B vitamins improves cognitive function in healthy children in a population with relatively low folate status.


METHODS
We screened 1,002 kindergarten children for suboptimal folate status by assessing the total urinary para-aminobenzoylglutamate excretion. Two hundred and fifty low ranking subjects were recruited into a double blind, randomized, controlled trial to receive daily a sachet containing 220 μg folic acid, 1.1 mg vitamin B2, 0.73 mg B6, 1.2 μg B12 and 130 mg calcium, or calcium only for 3 months. Primary outcomes were changes in verbal IQ, short-term memory and processing speed between baseline and study end. Secondary outcomes were urinary markers of folate and vitamin B12 status, acetyl-para-aminobenzoylglutamate and methylmalonic acid, respectively, and, in a subgroup of 120 participants, blood folate and plasma homocysteine.


RESULTS
Pre- and post-intervention cognitive measurements were completed by 115 children in the intervention and 122 in the control group. Compared to control, median blood folate increased by about 50% (P for difference, P < 0.0001). Homocysteine decreased by 1.1 μmol/L compared to baseline, no change was seen in the control group (P for difference P < 0.0001) and acetyl-para-aminobenzoylglutamate was 4 nmol/mmol higher compared to control at the end of the intervention (P < 0.0001). We found no relevant differences between the groups for the cognitive measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term improvement of folate and homocysteine status in healthy children does not appear to affect cognitive performance.
Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, University of Munich Medical Centre, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany, Astrid.Rau-Pfeiffer@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Astrid
A
Rauh-Pfeiffer
Uschi
U
Handel
Hans
H
Demmelmair
Wolfgang
W
Peissner
Mareile
M
Niesser
Diego
D
Moretti
Vanessa
V
Martens
Sheila
S
Wiseman
Judith
J
Weichert
Moritz
M
Heene
Markus
M
Bühner
Berthold
B
Koletzko
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D005858:Germany; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid / Q000652:urine; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D015415:Biomarkers; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12