Minimum effective dose of folic acid for food fortification to prevent neural-tube defects

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 350; no. 9092; pp. 1666 - 1669
• Main Authors: Daly, Sean, Mills, James L, Molloy, Anne M, Conley, Mary, Lee, Young J, Kirke, Peadar N, Weir, Donald G, Scott, John M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 06.12.1997; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Birth defects; Clinical trials; Dietary supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Folic acid; Folic Acid - administration & dosage; Folic Acid - blood; Food fortification; Food, Fortified; Fortified foods; Humans; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neural Tube Defects - prevention & control; Neuropharmacology; Nutritional Requirements; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Vitamin B; United States; North America; America; Human; Evaluation; Nervous system diseases; Vitamin; Red blood cell; Folic acid; Prevention; Randomization; Neural tube; Defect; Female; Pharmacokinetics; Profilometry; Public health; Comparative study

Although a daily supplement of 400 μg folic acid has been shown to prevent neural-tube defects (NTD), most women do not take the recommended supplement. Thus, food fortification is to be introduced in the USA and is being considered in the UK. Because of safety concerns, the USA has chosen a level o...