Human milk oligosaccharide composition following supplementation with folic acid vs (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid during pregnancy and mediation by human milk folate forms.
- 2023-12-06
- European journal of clinical nutrition 78(4)
- Kelsey M Cochrane
- Jeffrey N Bone
- Crystal D Karakochuk
- Lars Bode
- PubMed: 38057412
- DOI: 10.1038/s41430-023-01376-7
Study Design
- Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- Sample size
- n = 60
- Population
- 60 pregnant women in Canada
- Methods
- randomized to 0.6 mg/day folic acid or (6S)-5-MTHF
- Rigorous Journal
Supplementation with folic acid versus (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MTHF) results in different folate forms in human milk, with folic acid increasing unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) at the expense of reduced folate forms. It is unknown whether folate forms present in human milk have further effects on human milk composition, such as human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) concentrations. We randomized 60 pregnant women in Canada to 0.6 mg/day folic acid or (6S)-5-MTHF. Human milk folate forms (LC-MS/MS) and nineteen HMOs (HPLC) were quantified at 1 week postpartum. Linear regression and causal mediation analysis were used to evaluate the effect of folate supplementation on HMO concentrations, and possible mediation by concentrations of UMFA and reduced folate forms in human milk (controlling for secretor status and parity). HMO concentrations were not different between groups, with no evidence of mediation by reduced folate forms; however, increased UMFA was associated with reduced concentrations of total HMOs and 3'-sialyllactose.
Research Insights
HMO concentrations were not different between groups
- Effect
- Neutral
- Effect size
- Small
- Dose
- 0.6 mg/day
HMO concentrations were not different between groups
- Effect
- Neutral
- Effect size
- Small
- Dose
- 0.6 mg/day