HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ganji, V. Articles by Kafai, M. R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ganji, V. Articles by Kafai, M. R Agricola Articles by Ganji, V. Articles by Kafai, M. R

Population reference values for plasma total homocysteine concentrations in US adults after the fortification of cereals with folic acid^1,2

¹ From the Department of Human Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (VG), and the Department of Mathematics, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA (MRK)

Background: Folic acid fortification has resulted in a dramatic increase in folate intake in the United States. Folate intake is inversely associated with circulating total homocysteine (tHcy). Elevated tHcy is directly associated with cardiovascular disease risk.

Objective: The aim of this study was to present the distribution of plasma concentrations of tHcy in US adults by using data from nationally representative sample surveys conducted since folic acid fortification was implemented.

Design: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1999–2001 and 2001–2002 were used to study tHcy distribution by age, sex, and race-ethnicity in 9196 persons.

Results: Plasma concentrations of tHcy were higher in men than in women and in older persons than in younger persons. In those aged 19–30, 31–50, and 51–70 y but not in those aged >70 y, men had significantly (P < 0.0001) higher mean plasma concentrations of tHcy than did women. A race-ethnicity difference in plasma tHcy existed only in persons aged >70 y. Non-Hispanic blacks aged >70 y had significantly (P < 0.05) higher tHcy concentrations than did non-Hispanic white or Mexican American or Hispanic subjects in the same age group. Age-adjusted plasma tHcy concentrations did not differ significantly between non-Hispanic white (8.39 µmol/L), non-Hispanic black (8.92 µmol/L), and Mexican American or Hispanic (8.12 µmol/L) subjects. The rate of increase in plasma tHcy was greater in non-Hispanic blacks aged 50 y than in persons of similar age but of other races-ethnicities.

Conclusions: These plasma tHcy data reflect the effects of folic acid fortification. Sex, age, and race-ethnicity differences persist in plasma tHcy concentrations.

Key Words: Homocysteine • National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey • NHANES • heart disease • folic acid fortification • United States

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. M. Pfeiffer, J. D. Osterloh, J. Kennedy-Stephenson, M. F. Picciano, E. A. Yetley, J. I. Rader, and C. L. Johnson Trends in Circulating Concentrations of Total Homocysteine among US Adolescents and Adults: Findings from the 1991-1994 and 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys Clin. Chem., May 1, 2008; 54(5): 801 - 813. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. F Wyckoff and V. Ganji Proportion of individuals with low serum vitamin B-12 concentrations without macrocytosis is higher in the post folic acid fortification period than in the pre folic acid fortification period Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2007; 86(4): 1187 - 1192. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bogaisky and R. M Leipzig Daily folic acid supplementation for 3 years improved cognitive function in older persons Evid. Based Med., June 1, 2007; 12(3): 83 - 83. [Full Text] [PDF]