Vitamin B-12 and homocysteine status in a folate-replete population: results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey

Vitamin B-12 is an important cofactor required for nucleotide and amino acid metabolism. Vitamin B-12 deficiency causes anemia and neurologic abnormalities-a cause for concern for the elderly, who are at increased risk of vitamin B-12 malabsorption. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is also associated with an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of clinical nutrition 2011-10, Vol.94 (4), p.1079-1087
Main Authors: MACFARLANE, Amanda J, GREENE-FINESTONE, Linda S, YIPU SHI
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Anemia
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - blood
Canada - epidemiology
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Erythrocytes
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Folic Acid - administration & dosage
Folic Acid - blood
Folic Acid Deficiency - epidemiology
Folic Acid Deficiency - prevention & control
Food, Fortified - analysis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health Surveys
Homocysteine
Homocysteine - blood
Humans
Legislation, Food
Male
Middle Aged
Neurological disorders
Nutritional Status
Obesity - complications
Prevalence
Severity of Illness Index
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Vitamin B
Vitamin B 12 - blood
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - blood
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - complications
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - epidemiology
Vitamin deficiency
Young Adult
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Summary:Vitamin B-12 is an important cofactor required for nucleotide and amino acid metabolism. Vitamin B-12 deficiency causes anemia and neurologic abnormalities-a cause for concern for the elderly, who are at increased risk of vitamin B-12 malabsorption. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is also associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects and hyperhomocysteinemia. The metabolism of vitamin B-12 and folate is interdependent, which makes it of public health interest to monitor biomarkers of vitamin B-12, folate, and homocysteine in a folic acid-fortified population. The objective was to determine the vitamin B-12, folate, and homocysteine status of the Canadian population in the period after folic acid fortification was initiated. Blood was collected from a nationally representative sample of ∼5600 participants aged 6-79 y in the Canadian Health Measures Survey during 2007-2009 and was analyzed for serum vitamin B-12, red blood cell folate, and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy). A total of 4.6% of Canadians were vitamin B-12 deficient (
ISSN:0002-9165
1938-3207
DOI:10.3945/ajcn.111.020230