Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25580388›Full record

ReviewPreventive nutrition and food science2014

Contemporary issues surrounding folic Acid fortification initiatives.

Jeong-Hwa Choi, Zoe Yates, Martin Veysey, Young-Ran Heo, Mark Lucock

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Preventive nutrition and food science, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
7.4field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 98 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. The Interrelationship between Preconception Folate Nutritional Intake and Child Genetic Liability in the Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2025
    Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of mandatory folate fortification as an evidence-based policy to prevent neural tube defects.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2023
    Review
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Observational
  18. First report on Vitamin BBiotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts · 2022
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Jeong-Hwa ChoiSchool of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia ; Human Economics Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Korea.
Zoe YatesBiomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia.
Martin VeyseyTeaching and Research Unit, Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford, NSW 2250, Australia.
Young-Ran HeoDepartment of Food and Nutrition, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Korea.
Mark LucockSchool of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia.
Hunter Water · AUCentral Coast Local Health District · AUChonnam National University · KR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The impact of folate on health and disease, particularly pregnancy complications and congenital malformations, has been extensively studied. Mandatory folic acid fortification therefore has been implemented in multiple countries, resulting in a reduction in the occurrence of neural tube defects. However, emerging evidence suggests increased folate intake may also be associated with unexpected adverse effects. This literature review focuses on contemporary issues of concern, and possible underlying mechanisms as well as giving consideration the future direction of mandatory folic acid fortification. Folate fortification has been associated with the presence of unmetabolized folic acid (PteGlu) in blood, masking of vitamin B12 deficiency, increased dosage for anti-cancer medication, photo-catalysis of PteGlu leading to potential genotoxicity, and a role in the pathoaetiology of colorectal cancer. Increased folate intake has also been associated with twin birth and insulin resistance in offspring, and altered epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance. Although limited data exists to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying these issues, elevated blood folate level due to the excess use of PteGlu without consideration of an individual's specific phenotypic traits (e.g. genetic background and undiagnosed disease) may be relevant. Additionally, the accumulation of unmetabolized PteGlu may lead to inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase and other enzymes. Concerns notwithstanding, folic acid fortification has achieved enormous advances in public health. It therefore seems prudent to target and carefully monitor high risk groups, and to conduct well focused further research to better understand and to minimize any risk of mandatory folic acid fortification.

Indexed as

adverse effectsmandatory folic acid fortificationpublic healthsynthetic folic acid

Identifiers

PMID25580388
PMCPMC4287316
OpenAlexW2102230736

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.