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Table 1 Measures of folate status and estimation of folate intakes at 4 and 16 wk postpartum1

From: How well do blood folate concentrations predict dietary folate intakes in a sample of Canadian lactating women exposed to high levels of folate? An observational study

 

Daily folate supplementation

Variable

0 μg

400 μg

 

4 wks (n = 17)

16 wks (n = 18)

4 wks (n = 36)

16 wks (n = 37)

Plasma folate (nmol/L)

59 (41, 85)

46 (29, 63)

110 (74, 143)

93 (71, 120)

RBC folate (nmol/L)

2190 (1875, 2626)

1374 (1025, 1692)

3024 (2313, 3992)

2090 (1641, 2527)

% > 906 nmol/L2

100

89

100

100

Plasma homocysteine (μmol/L)

8.8 (8.1, 9.6)

8.7 (8.0, 9.4)

9.2 (8.6, 9.8)

8.9 (8.2, 9.6)

Dietary folate intake

    

   Synthetic folate, μg/d3

147 (75, 174)

118 (87, 151)

472 (408, 511)

450 (410, 479)

   Dietary folate, μg/d

225 (193, 322)

253 (208, 320)

271 (214, 331)

268 (217, 326)

Total folate, μg DFE/d

481 (400, 561)

467 (379, 543)

1072 (983, 1163)

1040 (953, 1135)

  1. Abbreviations: DFE, dietary folate equivalent = (μg of natural dietary folate) + (μg of folic acid from fortification × 1.7) + (μg of folate from supplement × 1.7)
  2. 1 Median (1st, 3rd quartile); 2 RBC folate > 906 nmol/L is associated with low NTD risk [16]. 3 Synthetic folate = supplemental + folic acid as fortificant