Folate status shows no relationship with vitamin B12 but reiterates the urgency for folate fortification in the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The UK has a high and increasing prevalence of folate deficiency. The decision to start mandatory folic acid fortification has not yet been implemented. Concern has been raised about the effect of high folate on vitamin B12 status.

Methods

The prevalence of folate deficiency was assessed based on the serum folate concentrations from 47,240 samples collected between August 2023 and January 2025 (provided to us as anonymised data, measured in a UK-based contract laboratory using an immunochemical analyser). In 39,374 individuals, both serum folate and holotranscobalamin (holoTC) ('active' vitamin B12) concentrations were available, and were used to determine if high folate status had a negative impact on active vitamin B12 concentrations.

Results

For women of

SUBMITTER: Koulman A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12414022 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature