Additional food folate derived exclusively from natural sources improves folate status in young women with the MTHFR 677 CC or TT genotype

• Published in: The FASEB journal 2006-03, Vol.20 (4), p.A601-A601
• Main Authors: Hung, Jean, Yang, Tai Li, Urrutia, Tania, Li, Rui, Perry, Cydne, Hata, Hiroko, Cogger, Edward, Moriarty, David, Caudill, Marie A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.A601-b

The effectiveness of additional food folate in improving folate status in humans is uncertain particularly in people with the common genetic variant (677 C>>T) in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. To examine the effect of a doubling of food folate consumption on folate status response variables, women (n=32; 18–46 y) with the MTHFR 677 CC or TT genotype consumed either 400 (n=15; 7 CC and 8 TT) or 800 (n=17; 8 CC and 9 TT) mcg/d as dietary folate equivalents (DFE) derived exclusively from naturally occurring food folate for 12 wk. A repeated measures 2‐factor ANOVA was used to examine the effect of the dietary treatment, the MTHFR C677T genotype and their interactions on serum folate, RBC folate and plasma total homocysteine during the last three weeks of the study. Consumption of 800 mcg DFE/d resulted in serum folate and RBC folate concentrations that were 67% (p=0.005) and 33 % (p=0.001) higher than consumption of 400 mcg DFE/d. Serum folate (P=0.065) and RBC folate (p=0.022) concentration were lower and plasma total homocysteine higher (p=0.039) in women with the MTHFR 677 TT genotype relative to the CC genotype. No genotype by dietary treatment interaction was detected. These data suggest that a doubling of food folate intake will lead to marked improvements in folate status in women with the MTHFR 677 CC or TT genotype. Supported by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grant number 2001‐35200‐10678 and funds from the California Agricultural Research Initiative.