Effects of High-dose Folic Acid Supplementation on Maternal/Child Health Outcomes: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy and Insulin Resistance in Offspring

• Published in: Canadian journal of diabetes 2023-03, Vol.47 (2), p.133-142
• Main Authors: Karaçil Ermumcu, Merve Şeyda, Acar Tek, Nilüfer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Child Health; Diabetes, Gestational; diabète gestationnel; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Folic Acid - pharmacology; folic acid supplementation; gestation; gestational diabetes; Glucose Intolerance; Glycated Hemoglobin; Insulin Resistance; Male; offspring; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; ratons; Rats; Rats, Wistar; résistance à l’insuline; supplémentation en acide folique
• ISSN: 1499-2671; 2352-3840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2022.10.008

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of maternal high folic acid (FA) supplementation during pregnancy on glucose intolerance in dams and insulin resistance in offspring. Wistar female rats (n=18) were mated and randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group and 2 experimental groups. Three different feeding protocols were administered during pregnancy: control group, 2 mg/kg FA (recommended level FA supplementation); experimental 1 group, 5 mg/kg FA (tolerable upper intake level of FA supplementation [ULFolS]); and experimental 2 group, 40 mg/kg FA (high FA supplementation [HfolS]). All dams were fed the same FA content diet (2 mg/kg FA) during the lactation period. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed on day 16 of pregnancy. After the lactation period, body weight and food intake of 36 pups were monitored. Dams were euthanized at the end of the lactation period and half of the pups were euthanized at the end of week 7 and the others at the end of week 12. Serum FA, homocysteine, vitamin B12, insulin, glucose, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, glycated hemoglobin (A1C), and adiponectin levels of mothers and pups were evaluated. The homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to determine insulin resistance in dams and offspring. According to glucose tolerance test results of dams, blood glucose values at minutes 0, 60, 90, and 120 for the HFolS group were significantly higher compared with the control group (p