Metabolomic Effects of Folic Acid Supplementation in Adults: Evidence from the FACT Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Folic acid (FA) is the oxidized form of folate found in supplements and FA-fortified foods. Most FA is reduced by dihydrofolate reductase to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5mTHF); the latter is the form of folate naturally found in foods. Ingestion of FA increases the plasma levels of both 5mTHF and unmetabolized FA (UMFA). Limited information is available on the downstream metabolic effects of FA supplementation, including potential effects associated with UMFA.

Objective

We aimed to assess the metabolic effects of FA-supplementation, and the associations of plasma 5mTHF and UMFA with the metabolome in FA-naïve Bangladeshi adults.

Methods

Sixty participants were selected from the Folic Acid and Creatine Trial; half received 800 μg FA/day for 12 weeks and half p

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Morata I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10900167 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature