Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T08:28:33.962Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Child's homocysteine concentration at 2 years is influenced by pregnancy vitamin B12 and folate status

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2011

H. G. Lubree ,
P. A. Katre ,
S. M. Joshi ,
D. S. Bhat ,
U. S. Deshmukh ,
N. S. Memane ,
S. R. Otiv ,
E. C. Rush  and
C. S. Yajnik
H. G. Lubree
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
P. A. Katre
Affiliation:
Persistent Systems P Ltd, Pune, India
S. M. Joshi
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
D. S. Bhat
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
U. S. Deshmukh
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
N. S. Memane
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
S. R. Otiv
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
E. C. Rush
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Child Health, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
C. S. Yajnik*
Affiliation:
Kamalnayan Bajaj Diabetology Research Centre, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
*
*Address for correspondence: Prof. C. S. Yajnik, Director, Diabetes Unit, KEM Hospital, Rasta Peth, Pune 411011, India. (E-mails diabetes@vsnl.com, csyajnik@hotmail.com)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Longitudinal studies investigating vitamin B12 and folate status of mothers and their offspring will provide a better understanding of intergenerational nutrition. During pregnancy and 2 years (2y) after delivery, we measured plasma vitamin B12 and folate concentrations in 118 women [aged (mean ± s.d.) 22.9 ± 3.9y] who attended a rural (n = 68) or an urban (n = 50) antenatal clinic in Pune, India. Cord blood vitamin B12 and folate were measured, and when the child was 2y total homocysteine (tHcy) was also measured. Demographic and diet measurements were recorded using standard methods.

Pregnancy plasma vitamin B12 concentration at 34 weeks was low [median (25th, 75th), 115 (95, 147) pm]; 75% had low status (<150 pm). Plasma folate was high (mean ± s.d., 33 ± 21 nm); one had a folate concentration <7 pm. Cord plasma vitamin B12 and folate concentrations were higher than and positively associated with maternal concentrations. In stepwise regression, higher child vitamin B12 at 2y was predicted (total R 2 15.7%) by pregnancy vitamin B12 (std β 0.201, R 2 7.7%), current consumption of cow's milk (std β 0.194, R 2 3.3%) and whether breast feeding was stopped before 2y (std β −0.234 R 2 7.2%). Child's 2y tHcy concentration was high (11.4 ± 3.6 μm) and predicted by lower pregnancy vitamin B12 (std β −0.206, R 2 4.1%), lack of vitamin supplementation (std β −0.256, R 2 5.6%) in pregnancy and whether currently breastfed (std β 0.268, R 2 8.4%).

Low maternal vitamin B12 status in pregnancy and prolonged breast-feeding results in disturbed one-carbon metabolism in offspring at 2y. Supplementation of women of child-bearing age, particularly during pregnancy and lactation, may improve the homocysteine status of these children.

Keywords

homocysteineintergenerational one-carbon metabolismoffspringpregnancyvitamin B12 insufficiency
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , February 2012 , pp. 32 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bohnsack, BL, Hirschi, KK. Nutrient regulation of cell cycle progression. Annu Rev Nutr. 2004; 24, 433–453.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Ashworth, CJ, Antipatis, C. Micronutrient programming of development throughout gestation. Reproduction. 2001; 122, 527–535.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Allen, LH. Causes of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency. Food Nutr Bull. 2008; 29, S20–S34; discussion S35–S27.Google Scholar
4. Yajnik, CS, Deshpande, SS, Jackson, AA, et al. . Vitamin B12 and folate concentrations during pregnancy and insulin resistance in the offspring: the Pune Maternal Nutrition Study. Diabetologia. 2008; 51, 29–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Yajnik, CS, Lubree, HG, Thuse, NV, et al. . Oral vitamin B12 supplementation reduces plasma total homocysteine concentration in women in India. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007; 16, 103–109.Google ScholarPubMed
6. Antony, AC. Vegetarianism and vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003; 78, 3–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Chambers, JC, Obeid, OA, Refsum, H, et al. . Plasma homocysteine concentrations and risk of coronary heart disease in UK Indian Asian and European men. Lancet. 2000; 355, 523–527.Google Scholar
8. Dror, DK, Allen, LH. Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutr Rev. 2008; 66, 250–255.Google Scholar
9. Misra, A, Vikram, NK, Pandey, RM, et al. . Hyperhomocysteinemia, and low intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12 in urban North India. Eur J Nutr. 2002; 41, 68–77.Google Scholar
10. Refsum, H, Yajnik, CS, Gadkari, M, et al. . Hyperhomocysteinemia and elevated methylmalonic acid indicate a high prevalence of cobalamin deficiency in Asian Indians. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001; 74, 233–241.Google Scholar
11. Yajnik, CS, Deshpande, SS, Lubree, HG, et al. . Vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia in rural and urban Indians. J Assoc Physicians India. 2006; 54, 775–782.Google ScholarPubMed
12. Ray, JG, Wyatt, PR, Thompson, MD, et al. . Vitamin B12 and the risk of neural tube defects in a folic-acid-fortified population. Epidemiology. 2007; 18, 362–366.Google Scholar
13. Ronnenberg, AG, Goldman, MB, Chen, D, et al. . Preconception homocysteine and B vitamin status and birth outcomes in Chinese women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 76, 1385–1391.Google Scholar
14. Muthayya, S, Kurpad, AV, Duggan, CP, et al. . Low maternal vitamin B12 status is associated with intrauterine growth retardation in urban South Indians. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006; 60, 791–801.Google Scholar
15. Schneider, H, Miller, RK. Receptor-mediated uptake and transport of macromolecules in the human placenta. Int J Dev Biol. 2010; 54, 367–375.Google Scholar
16. Taneja, S, Bhandari, N, Strand, TA, et al. . Cobalamin and folate status in infants and young children in a low-to-middle income community in India. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007; 86, 1302–1309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Bhate, V, Deshpande, S, Bhat, D, et al. . Vitamin B12 status of pregnant Indian women and cognitive function in their 9-year-old children. Food Nutr Bull. 2008; 29, 249–254.Google Scholar
18. Muthayya, S, Dwarkanath, P, Mhaskar, M, et al. . The relationship of neonatal serum vitamin B12 status with birth weight. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006; 15, 538–543.Google Scholar
19. Katre, P, Bhat, D, Lubree, H, et al. . Vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation and plasma total homocysteine concentrations in pregnant Indian women with low B12 and high folate status. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2010; 19, 335–343.Google Scholar
20. Department of Biometry and Nutrition. Nutritive Values of some Indian Food Preparations, 1992. Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India.Google Scholar
21. National Institute of Nutrition. Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, 1989. Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad, India.Google Scholar
22. International Institute for Population Sciences and ORC Macro. National Family Health Survey (NHFS-2), India 1998–99, Mumbai, 2001, pp. 52–57.Google Scholar
23. Kelleher, BP, Broin, SD. Microbiological assay for vitamin B12 performed in 96-well microtitre plates. J Clin Pathol. 1991; 44, 592–595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Kelleher, BP, Walshe, KG, Scott, JM, O'Broin, SD. Microbiological assay for vitamin B12 with use of a colistin–sulfate-resistant organism. Clin Chem. 1987; 33, 52–54.Google Scholar
25. Horne, DW, Patterson, D. Lactobacillus casei microbiological assay of folic acid derivatives in 96-well microtiter plates. Clin Chem. 1988; 34, 2357–2359.Google Scholar
26. Tamura, T, Freeberg, LE, Cornwell, PE. Inhibition of EDTA of growth of Lactobacillus casei in the folate microbiological assay and its reversal by added manganese or iron. Clin Chem. 1990; 36, 1993.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27. Alberti, KG, Zimmet, PZ. Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Part 1: diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus provisional report of a WHO consultation. Diabet Med. 1998; 15, 539–553.Google Scholar
28. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Child Growth Standards: Length/Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Length, Weight-for-Height and Body Mass Index-for-Age: Methods and Development, 2006. World Health Organization, Geneva.Google Scholar
29. Elmadfa, I, Singer, I. Vitamin B-12 and homocysteine status among vegetarians: a global perspective. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009; 89, 1693S–1698S.Google Scholar
30. Wallace, JM, Bonham, MP, Strain, J, et al. . Homocysteine concentration, related B vitamins, and betaine in pregnant women recruited to the Seychelles Child Development Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008; 87, 391–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31. Guerra-Shinohara, EM, Paiva, AA, Rondo, PH, et al. . Relationship between total homocysteine and folate levels in pregnant women and their newborn babies according to maternal serum levels of vitamin B12. BJOG. 2002; 109, 784–791.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Hay, G, Johnston, C, Whitelaw, A, Trygg, K, Refsum, H. Folate and cobalamin status in relation to breastfeeding and weaning in healthy infantsAm J Clin Nutr. 2008; 88, 105–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33. Specker, BL, Black, A, Allen, L, Morrow, F. Vitamin B-12: low milk concentrations are related to low serum concentrations in vegetarian women and to methylmalonic aciduria in their infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990; 52, 1073–1076.Google Scholar
34. Refsum, H, Smith, AD, Ueland, PM, et al. . Facts and recommendations about total homocysteine determinations: an expert opinion. Clin Chem. 2004; 50, 3–32.Google Scholar
35. Hay, G, Trygg, K, Whitelaw, A, Johnston, C, Refsum, H. Folate and cobalamin status in relation to diet in healthy 2-y-old children. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011; 93, 727–735.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36. Stanger, O, Weger, M. Interactions of homocysteine, nitric oxide, folate and radicals in the progressively damaged endothelium. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2003; 41, 1444–1454.Google Scholar
37. Hay, G, Clausen, T, Whitelaw, A, et al. . Maternal folate and cobalamin status predicts vitamin status in newborns and 6-month-old infants. J Nutr. 2010; 140, 557–564.Google Scholar