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Biomedical subjects

C E West

Publications and source records attributed to C E West.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Serum transferrin receptor concentration indicates increased erythropoiesis in Kenyan children with asymptomatic malaria.

BACKGROUND: Serum transferrin receptor concentrations indicate both erythropoietic activity and the deficit of functional iron in the erythron. In contrast with serum ferritin concentrations, serum transferrin receptor concentrations are not or are only marginally influenced by the inflammatory response to infection. OBJECTIVE: We assessed iron status and examined the relation between serum transferrin receptor concentrations and malaria in children aged 2-36 mo who were asymptomatic for malaria. DESIGN: This was a community-based cluster survey (n = 318). RESULTS: Prevalences of malaria, anemia (hemoglobin concentration <110 g/L), iron deficiency (serum ferritin concentration <12 microg/L), and iron deficiency anemia were 18%, 69%, 53%, and 46%, respectively. Malaria was associated with lower mean hemoglobin concentrations (92.7 compared with 104.1 g/L; P = 0.0001) and higher geometric mean serum concentrations of transferrin receptor (11.4 compared with 7.8 mg/L; P = 0.005), ferritin (21.6 compared with 11.9 microg/L; P = 0.05), and C-reactive protein (12.5 compared with 6.8 mg/L; P = 0.004). There was no evidence for an association between serum concentrations of C-reactive protein and transferrin receptor. Children with malaria had higher serum transferrin receptor concentrations than expected for the degree of anemia, even after adjustment for inflammation indicated by serum C-reactive protein concentration quartiles (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with the notion that malaria-induced hemolysis is accompanied by increased erythropoiesis. Serum transferrin receptor concentration is not useful for detecting iron deficiency in individuals with malaria. Individuals with high concentrations of serum C-reactive protein or similar acute phase reactants should be excluded from analysis if serum ferritin concentrations <12 microg/L are to be used to measure iron deficiency in malaria-endemic areas.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗
PubMed2001

Weekly supplementation with iron and vitamin A during pregnancy increases hemoglobin concentration but decreases serum ferritin concentration in Indonesian pregnant women.

We investigated whether weekly iron supplementation was as effective as the national daily iron supplementation program in Indonesia in improving iron status at near term in pregnancy. In addition, we examined whether weekly vitamin A and iron supplementation was more efficacious than weekly supplementation with iron alone. One group of pregnant women (n = 122)was supplemented weekly with iron (120 mg Fe as FeSO4) and folic acid (500 microg); another group (n = 121) received the same amount of iron and folic acid plus vitamin A [4800 retinol equivalents (RE)]. A third ("daily") group (n = 123), participating in the national iron plus folic acid supplementation program, was also recruited. Data on subjects with complete biochemical data are reported (n = 190). At near term, hemoglobin concentrations increased, whereas serum ferritin concentrations decreased significantly in the weekly vitamin A and iron group, suggesting that vitamin A improved utilization of iron for hematopoiesis. Iron status in the weekly iron group was not different from that of the "daily" group. However, iron status decreased with daily supplementation if <50 iron tablets were ingested. Serum transferrin receptor concentrations increased in all groups (P < 0.01). Serum retinol concentrations were maintained in the weekly vitamin A and iron group, but decreased in the other two groups (P < 0.01). Thus, delivery of iron supplements on a weekly basis can be as effective as ona daily basis if compliance can be ensured. Addition of vitamin A to the supplement improved hemoglobin concentration.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Weekly vitamin A and iron supplementation during pregnancy increases vitamin A concentration of breast milk but not iron status in Indonesian lactating women.

Studies on the effect of vitamin A and iron supplementation during pregnancy on maternal iron and vitamin A status postpartum are scarce. We investigated whether retinol and iron variables in breast milk and in serum postpartum were enhanced more with weekly vitamin A and iron supplementation during pregnancy than with weekly iron supplementation. During pregnancy, subjects were randomly allocated to two groups and received either (n = 88) a weekly supplement of iron (120 mg Fe as FeSO(4)) and folic acid (500 microg) or (n = 82) the same amount of iron and folic acid plus vitamin A [4800 retinol equivalents (RE)]. Transitional milk (4-7 d postpartum) had higher (P < 0.001) concentrations of retinol and iron than mature milk (3 mo postpartum). Compared with the weekly iron group, the weekly vitamin A and iron group had a greater (P < 0.05) concentration of retinol in transitional milk (as micromol/L) and in mature milk (as micromol/g fat). Although serum retinol concentrations approximately 4 mo postpartum did not differ significantly, the weekly vitamin A and iron group had significantly fewer (P < 0.01) subjects with serum retinol concentrations < or = 0.70 micromol/L than the weekly iron group. Iron status and concentrations of iron in transitional and mature milk did not differ between groups. We have shown that weekly vitamin A and iron supplementation during pregnancy enhanced concentrations of retinol in breast milk although not in serum by approximately 4 mo postpartum. However, no positive effects were observed on iron status and iron concentration in breast milk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Serum thyroglobulin and urinary iodine concentration are the most appropriate indicators of iodine status and thyroid function under conditions of increasing iodine supply in schoolchildren in Benin.

Iodine deficiency control programs have greatly reduced iodine deficiency disorders worldwide. For monitoring changes in iodine status, different indicators may be used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of indicators of iodine status and thyroid function, thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) in serum, thyroid volume and urinary iodine concentration, in iodine-deficient schoolchildren under conditions of increasing iodine supply. The study was established as a double-blind, placebo-controlled oral administration of a single dose of iodized oil to schoolchildren (7-10 y old), living in an iodine-deficient area of Benin, with an observation period of 10 mo. However, 3-4 mo after supplementation, iodized salt became available in the area. The study population therefore comprised an iodized oil-supplemented group and a nonsupplemented group, both of which had variable, uncontrolled intakes of iodized salt during the last 6 mo of the study. Initial mean serum concentrations of TSH and FT4 were within the normal range, whereas serum Tg concentration, urinary iodine concentration and thyroid volume were indicative of moderate-to-severe iodine deficiency. At the end of the study, all indicators had improved significantly, except thyroid volume, which had decreased only in the supplemented group. The supplemented group also still had significantly lower serum Tg and higher urinary iodine concentrations than the nonsupplemented group. Serum Tg and urinary iodine concentrations are the indicators most influenced by a changing iodine supply. Current normal reference ranges of serum concentrations of TSH and FT4 are too wide for detecting iodine deficiency in this age group.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2001

Effects of iron and zinc supplementation in Indonesian infants on micronutrient status and growth.

In this study the effects of supplementation of iron and zinc, alone or combined, on iron status, zinc status and growth in Indonesian infants is investigated. Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in infants in developing countries, and deficiencies often coexist; thus, combined supplementation is an attractive strategy. However, little is known about interactions between micronutrients. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled supplementation trial, 478 infants, 4 mo of age, were supplemented for 6 mo with iron (10 mg/d), zinc (10 mg/d), iron + zinc (10 mg of each/d) or placebo. Anthropometry was assessed monthly, and micronutrient status was assessed at the end of supplementation. Supplementation significantly reduced the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency anemia and zinc deficiency. Iron supplementation did not negatively affect plasma zinc concentrations, and zinc supplementation did not increase the prevalence of anemia or iron deficiency anemia. However, iron supplementation combined with zinc was less effective than iron supplementation alone in reducing the prevalence of anemia (20% vs. 38% reduction) and in increasing hemoglobin and plasma ferritin concentrations. There were no differences among the groups in growth. The growth of all groups was insufficient to maintain the same Z-scores for height for age and weight for height. There is a high prevalence of deficiencies of iron and zinc in these infants, which can be overcome safely and effectively by supplementation of iron and zinc combined. However, overcoming these deficiencies is not sufficient to improve growth performance in these infants.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2000

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the quantification of bioavailability and bioconversion of beta-carotene to retinol in humans.

A method based on high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI LC-MS) was developed for the quantification of the bioavailability of retinyl palmitate and beta-carotene and the bioconversion of beta-carotene to retinol in humans. Following oral administration of [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,19,20-13C10]-retinyl palmitate and [12,13,14,15,20,12',13',14',15',20'-13C10]-beta-carotene at physiological doses to children between 8 and 11 years of age, blood samples were drawn and serum was prepared. Retinol and beta-carotene were extracted from 0.2- and 1.0-mL serum samples, respectively, and analyzed using reversed-phase HPLC with a C30 column interfaced to an APCI mass spectrometer. Unlike other LC-MS assays for carotenoids, no additional purification steps were necessary, nor was any derivatization of retinol or beta-carotene required. APCI LC-MS showed a linear detector response for beta-carotene over 4 orders of magnitude. Using selected ion monitoring to record the elution profile of protonated circulating beta-carotene at m/z 537 and [13C10]-beta-carotene at m/z 547, the limit of detection was determined to be 0.5 pmol injected on-column. To assess the ratio of labeled to unlabeled retinol, selected ion monitoring was carried out at m/z 269, 274, and 279. These abundant fragment ions corresponded to the loss of water from the protonated molecule of circulating retinol, [13C5]-retinol (metabolically formed from orally administered [13C10]-beta-carotene), and [13C10]-retinol (formed by hydrolysis of [13C10]-retinyl palmitate). The ratios of labeled to unlabeled retinol and the ratio of labeled to unlabeled beta-carotene were calculated. Combined with standard HPLC measurement of beta-carotene and retinol concentration and a mathematical model, these results showed that this simple LC-MS method can be used to quantify beta-carotene bioavailability and its bioconversion to retinol at physiologically relevant doses.

Biological Availability↗
PubMed2000

Zinc supplementation and stunted infants in Ethiopia: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Stunting is highly prevalent in Ethiopia and many other developing countries but the reason for it is poorly understood. Zinc is essential for growth but diets in such countries often do not contain zinc in sufficient quantity or of sufficient bioavailability. Thus zinc deficiency may play a major role in stunting. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the low rate of linear growth of apparently healthy breastfed infants in a rural village in Ethiopia could be improved by zinc supplementation. METHODS: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was done on apparently healthy breastfed infants aged 6-12 months. 100 non-stunted (length-for-age, Z score < -2) were matched for age and sex with 100 randomly selected stunted (> -2) infants. Infants, both stunted and non stunted, were matched by sex, age (within 2 months) and recumbent length (within 3 cm) for random assignment, to receive a zinc supplement (10 mg zinc per day, as zinc sulphate) or placebo, 6 days a week for 6 months. Anthropometric measurements were taken monthly, data on illness and appetite were collected daily, and samples of serum and hair were taken at the end of the intervention for the analysis of zinc. FINDINGS: The length of stunted infants increased significantly more (p<0.001) when supplemented with zinc (7.0 cm [SE 1.1]) than with placebo (2.8 cm [0.9]); and the effect was greater (p<0.01) than in non-stunted infants (6.6 [0.9] vs 5.0 [0.8] cm for the zinc and placebo groups respectively, p<0.01). Zinc supplementation also increased the weight of stunted children (1.73 [0.39] vs 0.95 [0.39] kg for the corresponding placebo group, p<0.001) and of non-stunted children (1.19 [0.39] vs 1.02 [0.32] kg for the corresponding placebo group, p<0.05). Zinc supplementation resulted in a markedly lower incidence of anorexia and morbidity from cough, diarrhoea, fever, and vomiting in the stunted children. The total number of these conditions per child was 1.56 and 1.11 in the stunted and non-stunted zinc supplemented children versus 3.38 and 1.64 in the stunted and non-stunted placebo-treated children, respectively. At the end of the intervention period, the concentrations of zinc in serum and hair of stunted infants, who had not been supplemented with zinc, were lower than the respective concentrations of zinc in serum and hair of their non-stunted counterparts. INTERPRETATION: Combating zinc deficiency can increase the growth rate of stunted children to that of non-stunted infants in rural Ethiopia. This would appear to be due, at least in part, to reduction in morbidity from infection and increased appetite.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Incidence of ocular misalignment and diplopia after uneventful cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of ocular misalignment and diplopia after uneventful cataract surgery. SETTING: An outpatient private practice eye institute. METHODS: One hundred thirty-eight patients referred to 1 cataract surgeon were prospectively evaluated. Orthoptic evaluations were performed within 1 month before and then 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after cataract surgery. Anesthesia was by retrobulbar injection, and cataract extraction was done by phacoemulsification. RESULTS: Cataract surgery was performed in 118 patients. Preoperatively, 16 patients had ocular misalignment; 10 were phoric, 4 were intermittently tropic, and 2 were tropic. Follow-up evaluation was obtained for 101 patients (86%) at 1 day, 91 (77%) at 1 week, and 88 (75%) at 1 month. A change in ocular alignment occurred in 22 of 101 patients (22%) at 1 day, 9 of 91 (10%) at 1 week, and 6 of 88 (7%) at 1 month. Only 1 patient who had a change in alignment at 1 month was symptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: A persistent change in ocular alignment after uneventful cataract surgery occurred in 7% of patients. However, symptomatic diplopia was uncommon (1 in 118; 0.85%) in this relatively small series.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Indicators of erythrocyte formation and degradation in rats with either vitamin A or iron deficiency.

Vitamin A deficiency produces anemia and altered iron status. In this study with rats we tested two hypotheses regarding vitamin A deficiency: (1) that it impairs erythropoiesis, leading to an increased red cell turnover, and (2) that it inhibits the glycosylation of transferrin. Erythropoietic activity was assessed indirectly by determining the myeloid:erythroid ratio in bone marrow smears, the number of erythroid colonies in the red pulp of spleen, the blood reticulocyte index, and zinc protoporphyrin and plasma transferrin receptor concentrations. Transferrin glycosylation was assessed by measuring the sialic acid content of transferrin. The effects of vitamin A deficiency were compared with those of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency produced anemia and low iron levels in organs. Vitamin A deficiency produced low levels of plasma and hepatic retinol, and it induced decreased plasma total iron-binding capacity and raised iron levels in tibia and spleen. Short- but not long-term iron deficiency reduced the number of erythroid colonies in spleen; vitamin A deficiency had no influence. Neither iron nor vitamin A deficiency influenced the myeloid:erythroid ratio in bone marrow smears and the blood reticulocyte production. Plasma transferrin receptor and erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin concentrations were not affected by vitamin A deficiency but increased with iron deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency did not stimulate erythrocyte breakdown, as indicated by unaltered plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity and reduced plasma total bilirubin levels. Both vitamin A and iron deficiencies raised the proportion of multiple sialylated transferrins in plasma. Thus, we have not found evidence that vitamin A deficiency affects erythropoiesis and erythrocyte turnover. The iron accumulation in spleen and bone marrow may be related to reduced iron transport due to inhibition of transferrin synthesis rather than inhibition of transferrin sialylation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Arabidopsis DNA ligase IV is induced by gamma-irradiation and interacts with an Arabidopsis homologue of the double strand break repair protein XRCC4.

Rejoining of single- and double-strand breaks (DSBs) introduced in DNA during replication, recombination, and DNA damage is catalysed by DNA ligase enzymes. Eukaryotes possess multiple DNA ligase enzymes, each having distinct roles in cellular metabolism. Double-strand breaks in DNA, which can occur spontaneously in the cell or be induced experimentally by gamma-irradiation, represent one of the most serious threats to genomic integrity. Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) rather than homologous recombination is the major pathway for repair of DSBs in organisms with complex genomes, including humans and plants. DNA ligase IV in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans catalyses the final step in the NHEJ pathway of DSB repair. In this study we identify an Arabidopsis thaliana homologue (AtLIG4) of human and S. cerevisiae DNA ligase IV which is shown to encode an ATP-dependent DNA ligase with a theoretical molecular mass of 138 kDa and 48% similarity in amino-acid sequence to the human DNA ligase IV. Yeast two-hybrid analysis demonstrated a strong interaction between A. thaliana DNA ligase IV and the A. thaliana homologue of the human DNA ligase IV-binding protein XRCC4. This interaction is shown to be mediated via the tandem BRCA C-terminal domains of A. thaliana DNA ligase IV protein. Expression of AtLIG4 is induced by gamma-irradiation but not by UVB irradiation, consistent with an in vivo role for the A. thaliana DNA ligase IV in DSB repair.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Improved iodine status is associated with improved mental performance of schoolchildren in Benin.

BACKGROUND: An adequate iodine supply in utero and shortly after birth is known to be crucial to an individual's physical and mental development. The question of whether iodine supplementation later in life can exert a favorable influence on the mental performance of iodine-deficient populations was addressed in various studies, but with contradictory results. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an improvement in iodine status on mental and psychomotor performance of schoolchildren (7-11 y) who were moderately to severely iodine deficient. DESIGN: The study, which was originally planned as a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention, was carried out in an iodine-deficient population of schoolchildren (n = 196) in northern Benin. As the population began to have access to iodized salt during the 1-y intervention period, the study population was split post hoc-on the basis of urinary iodine concentrations-into a group with improved iodine status and a group with unchanged iodine status. Changes in mental and psychomotor performance over the intervention period were compared. RESULTS: Children with increased urinary iodine concentrations had a significantly greater increase in performance on the combination of mental tests than did the group with no change in urinary iodine concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: An improvement in iodine status, rather than iodine status itself, determined mental performance in this population, which was initially iodine deficient. These findings suggest a "catch-up" effect in terms of mental performance.

Benin↗
PubMed2000

Poor micronutrient status of active pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Indonesia.

Malnutrition is observed frequently in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), but their nutritional status, especially of micronutrients, is still poorly documented. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of patients with active TB compared with that of healthy controls in Jakarta, Indonesia. In a case-control study, 41 out-patients aged 15-55 y with untreated active pulmonary TB were compared with 41 healthy controls selected from neighbors of the patients and matched for age and sex. Cases had clinical and radiographic abnormalities consistent with pulmonary TB and at least two sputum specimens showing acid-fast bacilli. Anthropometric and micronutrient status data were collected. Compared with the controls, TB patients had significantly lower body mass index, skinfold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac), mid-upper arm circumference, proportion of fat, and concentrations of serum albumin, blood hemoglobin, plasma retinol and plasma zinc, whereas plasma zinc protoporphyrin concentration, as a measure of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration, was greater. When patients and controls were subdivided on the basis of nutritional status, concentrations of serum albumin, blood hemoglobin, and zinc and retinol in plasma were lower in malnourished TB patients than in well-nourished healthy controls, well-nourished TB patients and malnourished healthy controls. In conclusion, the nutritional status of patients with active pulmonary TB was poor compared with healthy subjects, i.e., significantly more patients were anemic and more had low plasma concentrations of retinol and zinc. Low concentrations of hemoglobin, and of retinol and zinc in plasma were more pronounced in malnourished TB patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Dietary factors that affect the bioavailability of carotenoids.

Carotenoids are thought to contribute to the beneficial effects of increased vegetable consumption. Various dietary factors have an effect on the bioavailability of carotenoids. The type of food matrix in which carotenoids are located is a major factor. The bioavailability of beta-carotene from vegetables in particular has been shown to be low (14% from mixed vegetables) compared with that of purified beta-carotene added to a simple matrix (e.g., salad dressing), whereas for lutein, the difference is much smaller (relative bioavailability of 67% from mixed vegetables). Processing, such as mechanical homogenization or heat treatment, has the potential to enhance the bioavailability of carotenoids from vegetables (from 18% to a sixfold increase). The amount of dietary fat required to ensure carotenoid absorption seems low (approximately 3-5 g per meal), although it depends on the physicochemical characteristics of the carotenoids ingested. Unabsorbable, fat-soluble compounds reduce carotenoid absorption, and interaction among carotenoids may also result in a reduced carotenoid bioavailability. Research into the functional benefits of carotenoids should consider the fact that the bioavailability of beta-carotene in particular is one order of magnitude higher when provided as a pure compound added to foods than when it is present naturally in foods.

Biological Availability↗
PubMed2000

Carotenoid bioavailability in humans from tomatoes processed in different ways determined from the carotenoid response in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction of plasma after a single consumption and in plasma after four days of consumption.

Tomatoes are the main dietary source of lycopene, and the bioavailability of lycopene from tomato paste is higher than that from fresh tomatoes. We investigated systematically the effect of mechanical homogenization and heating on the bioavailability of carotenoids from canned tomatoes. Further, we compared the carotenoid response in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) after single consumption with the change in fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations after 4 d of daily consumption. In a split plot design, 17 men and women consumed tomatoes which had received minimal additional heating and 16 others consumed extensively additionally heated tomatoes (1 h at 100 degrees C). These tomatoes were not, mildly or severely homogenized. The tomato products were consumed daily (ca. 22 mg/d lycopene) for 4 d. Eleven participants provided postprandial blood samples on the d 1 and all gave fasting blood samples on d 1 and 4. Homogenization enhanced the lycopene response significantly (P<0.05) both in TRL [mean areas under the curves: 54.9, 72.0 and 88.7 nmol. h/L (SE 11.0) for not, mildly and severely homogenized tomatoes, respectively] and in plasma [mean changes: 0.19, 0.22 and 0.23 micromol/L (SE 0.009), respectively]. Additional heating also tended to enhance the lycopene responses in TRL (P = 0.14) and plasma (P = 0.17). Similar effects to those for lycopene were found for beta-carotene. We conclude that the intactness of the cellular matrix of tomatoes determines the bioavailability of carotenoids and that matrix disruption by mechanical homogenization and/or heat treatment enhances the bioavailability. The carotenoid response in plasma after 4 d intervention can be used to compare the bioavailability of carotenoids from different foods.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Meeting requirements for vitamin A.

When the intake of foods or pharmaceutical preparations containing sufficient nutrients of adequate bioavailability are consumed, nutrient requirements are met and optimal nutritional status is maintained. Recent studies have shown that the basis for describing vitamin A activity of carotenoids overestimates the bioavailability of provitamin A carotenoids and their bioconversion to retinol (vitamin A). It is therefore proposed that instead of 6 microg from a mixed diet, 21 microg beta-carotene are required to provide 1 microg of retinol or 1 RE (retinol equivalent) of vitamin A. Based on this assumption and on data from food balance sheets, estimates of daily per capita vitamin A intake expressed in RE in Africa, South America, and Asia are reduced from 895, 599, and 667, respectively, to 371, 372, and 258, respectively. Such intakes are well below the recommended daily intake of 600 RE for adult males. A new combination of approaches will therefore have to be used to combat vitamin A deficiency rather than that used up until now.

Biological Availability↗
PubMed2000

Bioavailability of folate from processed spinach in humans. Effect of food matrix and interaction with carotenoids.

The effect of the food matrix and dietary fibre on the bioavailability of folate is not known. In a controlled, 3-week dietary intervention study, 28 men and 42 women were divided into six groups to receive either a control diet (n = 10), or the control diet plus 20 g/MJ per day (n = 12 per group) of whole-leaf spinach, minced spinach, liquefied spinach, or liquefied spinach to which dietary fibre (10 g/kg wet weight) was added. The sixth group received the control diet plus a synthetic carotenoid supplement with similar amounts of beta-carotene and lutein as found in spinach. A significantly higher plasma folate response was found for the pooled spinach groups than for the control group. Among the spinach groups no significant differences were detected. However, the plasma folate response of the pooled minced and liquefied spinach groups was greater than that of the whole-leaf spinach group (p = 0.03). Re-addition of dietary fibre to the liquefied spinach to compensate for the fibre broken down during liquefaction did not reduce the plasma folate response. The consumption of the carotenoid supplement did not have an effect on plasma folate concentrations compared with the control group. The food matrix in which the folate is entrapped plays a role in folate bioavailability.

Adolescent↗