Ba. Davis et al., FOLIC-ACID ABSORPTION IN WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF PREGNANCY WITH NEURAL-TUBE DEFECT, The American journal of clinical nutrition, 62(4), 1995, pp. 782-784
Folic acid absorption was compared in nonpregnant women with a history
of pregnancy with a neural tube defect (cases) (n = 10) with that of
control women (n = 10) with a normal pregnancy history. [H-2(4)]folic
acid was administered in an oral dose (400 mu g) to fasting case and c
ontrol subjects after a 30-d saturation protocol involving daily inges
tion of two 1-mg folic acid supplements. Serum and red blood cell fola
te concentrations were not different for case and control subjects bef
ore or during the saturation protocol (P > 0.05). The percentage ((x)
over bar +/- SD) of the oral dose of [H-2(4)]folic acid excreted in 24
-h urine collections postdose was not different (P > 0.05) for case co
mpared with control subjects (9.05 +/- 2.25% and 11.10 +/- 3.41%, resp
ectively). These data suggest that the absorption of folic acid routin
ely consumed in supplements and fortified food products is not impaire
d in women with a history of a pregnancy with a neural tube defect. Fu
rther case-controlled studies are needed to compare the absorption of
the predominant dietary form of the vitamin.