Abstract
The functional effects of folate within C 1 metabolism involve interrelationships with vitamin B 12, vitamin B 6 and riboflavin, and related gene-nutrient interactions. These B vitamins have important roles throughout life, from pregnancy, through childhood, to middle and older age. Achieving optimal nutritional status for preventing folate-related disease is challenging, however, primarily as a result of the poor stability and incomplete bioavailability of folate from natural food sources when compared with the synthetic vitamin form, folic acid. Thus, in European countries, measures to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) have been largely ineffective because of the generally poor compliance of women with folic acid supplementation as recommended before and in early pregnancy. In contrast, countries worldwide with mandatory folic acid fortification policies have experienced marked reductions in NTD. Low vitamin B 12 status is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, CVD and osteoporosis. Achieving optimal B 12 status can be problematic for older people, however, primarily owing to food-bound B 12 malabsorption which leads to sub-clinical deficiency even with high dietary B 12 intakes. Optimising B-vitamin intake may be particularly important for sub-populations with impaired folate metabolism owing to genetic characteristics, most notably the 677C→T variant in the gene encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). This common folate polymorphism is linked with several adverse health outcomes, including stroke, however, recent evidence has identified its novel interaction with riboflavin (the MTHFR cofactor) in relation to blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. This review addresses why and how the optimal status of folate-related B vitamins should be achieved through the lifecycle.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 31 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. |
| Early online date | 3 Jun 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 3 Jun 2019 |
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Keywords
- Folate
- folic acid
- vitamin B12
- riboflavin
- human health
- Human health
- Vitamin B
- Riboflavin
- Folic acid
Cite this
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Addressing optimal folate and related B vitamin status through the lifecycle: health impacts and challenges. / McNulty, H; Ward, M; Hoey, L.; Hughes, Catherine; Pentieva, K.
In: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society., 03.06.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Addressing optimal folate and related B vitamin status through the lifecycle: health impacts and challenges
AU - McNulty, H
AU - Ward, M
AU - Hoey, L.
AU - Hughes, Catherine
AU - Pentieva, K.
PY - 2019/6/3
Y1 - 2019/6/3
N2 - The functional effects of folate within C 1 metabolism involve interrelationships with vitamin B 12, vitamin B 6 and riboflavin, and related gene-nutrient interactions. These B vitamins have important roles throughout life, from pregnancy, through childhood, to middle and older age. Achieving optimal nutritional status for preventing folate-related disease is challenging, however, primarily as a result of the poor stability and incomplete bioavailability of folate from natural food sources when compared with the synthetic vitamin form, folic acid. Thus, in European countries, measures to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) have been largely ineffective because of the generally poor compliance of women with folic acid supplementation as recommended before and in early pregnancy. In contrast, countries worldwide with mandatory folic acid fortification policies have experienced marked reductions in NTD. Low vitamin B 12 status is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, CVD and osteoporosis. Achieving optimal B 12 status can be problematic for older people, however, primarily owing to food-bound B 12 malabsorption which leads to sub-clinical deficiency even with high dietary B 12 intakes. Optimising B-vitamin intake may be particularly important for sub-populations with impaired folate metabolism owing to genetic characteristics, most notably the 677C→T variant in the gene encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). This common folate polymorphism is linked with several adverse health outcomes, including stroke, however, recent evidence has identified its novel interaction with riboflavin (the MTHFR cofactor) in relation to blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. This review addresses why and how the optimal status of folate-related B vitamins should be achieved through the lifecycle.
AB - The functional effects of folate within C 1 metabolism involve interrelationships with vitamin B 12, vitamin B 6 and riboflavin, and related gene-nutrient interactions. These B vitamins have important roles throughout life, from pregnancy, through childhood, to middle and older age. Achieving optimal nutritional status for preventing folate-related disease is challenging, however, primarily as a result of the poor stability and incomplete bioavailability of folate from natural food sources when compared with the synthetic vitamin form, folic acid. Thus, in European countries, measures to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) have been largely ineffective because of the generally poor compliance of women with folic acid supplementation as recommended before and in early pregnancy. In contrast, countries worldwide with mandatory folic acid fortification policies have experienced marked reductions in NTD. Low vitamin B 12 status is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, CVD and osteoporosis. Achieving optimal B 12 status can be problematic for older people, however, primarily owing to food-bound B 12 malabsorption which leads to sub-clinical deficiency even with high dietary B 12 intakes. Optimising B-vitamin intake may be particularly important for sub-populations with impaired folate metabolism owing to genetic characteristics, most notably the 677C→T variant in the gene encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). This common folate polymorphism is linked with several adverse health outcomes, including stroke, however, recent evidence has identified its novel interaction with riboflavin (the MTHFR cofactor) in relation to blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. This review addresses why and how the optimal status of folate-related B vitamins should be achieved through the lifecycle.
KW - Folate
KW - folic acid
KW - vitamin B12
KW - riboflavin
KW - human health
KW - Human health
KW - Vitamin B
KW - Riboflavin
KW - Folic acid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066787702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0029665119000661
DO - 10.1017/S0029665119000661
M3 - Review article
JO - Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
T2 - Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
JF - Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
SN - 0029-6651
ER -