08 September 2015
A new study from Singapore suggests that increased maternal folate concentrations during late pregnancy seem to be associated with longer gestational age and a lower risk of preterm birth.
The observational study measured the blood concentrations of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 in 999 women in the 26th–28th weeks of gestation as well as birth weight and gestational age of their babies (1). The study results showed that higher plasma folate concentrations were associated with a longer gestational age and tended to be associated with lower risk of all preterm birth (delivery earlier than 37 weeks gestation) and spontaneous preterm birth. Little or no benefit was measured of higher vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 concentrations for reducing the risk of preterm birth.
The researchers commented that several recent cohort studies in Western countries also suggested that higher maternal folate concentrations (mainly measured during early pregnancy) were associated with longer gestational age or lower preterm birth risk (2, 3). A review of 3 clinical trials concluded that folic acid supplementation starting at mid- or late pregnancy through delivery had no effect on preterm birth risk (4). Nonetheless, the authors of the review commented that their findings were likely to have been influenced by bias and confounding due to methodological limitations of the original studies. There is an increased requirement for folate intake and folate-containing supplement use during pregnancy due to rapid maternal and fetal cellular growth and development. Folate plays critical roles in nucleotide (purine and thymidine) synthesis, which can subsequently affect DNA synthesis and mitotic cell division.
4 April 2014
According to a new study from China school children with vitamin D deficiency have an elevated risk of developing diseases caused by higher levels of obesity and oxidative stress.
21 September 2011
Although many aspects of lycopene functions still need to be clarified, low-dose supplementation of the carotenoid can be already suggested as a preventive measure for cardiovascular disease, says a new Italian review.
21 October 2015
Only a few studies have been carried out to assess the effect of blood serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and the risk of cervical cancer. The findings from these studies were inconsistent. However, a new study conducted with 1,200 participants from the city of Harbin, in Northern China, has yielded promising results, indicating that alpha carotene, beta carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C could be beneficial in reducing the risk of cervical cancer in Chinese women. The effect was particularly noticeable in women who suffered from the effects of passive smoking.
