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Effect of fortified spread on homocysteine concentration in apparently healthy volunteers

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 769–778 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the effect of folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 fortified spreads on the blood concentrations of these vitamins and homocysteine.

Design and setting:

A 6-week randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel trial carried out in a clinical research center.

Subjects:

One hundred and fifty healthy volunteers (50% males).

Interventions:

For 6 weeks, the subjects consumed the test spreads (20 g/day): containing per 20 g (1) 200 μg folic acid, 2 μg vitamin B12 and 1 mg vitamin B6, or (2) 400 μg folic acid, 2 μg vitamin B12 and 1 mg vitamin B6 or (3) no B-vitamins (control spread).

Results:

The B-vitamin status increased on using the test spreads, with the largest effect on the serum folate concentration: 48% in men and 58% in women on spread 1 and 92 and 146%, respectively, on spread 2 (P-values all <0.05). The plasma homocysteine decreased in the groups treated with the fortified spreads as compared to the control group. Average decreases were for males: 0.7±1.5 μmol/l (6.8%) on spread 1 and 1.7±1.7 μmol/l (17.6%) on spread 2 and for females: 1.4±1.2 μmol/l (14.2%) and 2.4±2.0 μmol/l (23.3%), respectively (P-values all <0.05).

Conclusions:

Consumption of a spread fortified with folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 for 6 weeks significantly increases the blood concentrations of these vitamins and significantly decreases the plasma concentration of homocysteine. Fortified staple foods like spreads can contribute to the lowering of homocysteine concentrations.

Sponsorship:

Unilever Research and Development, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the volunteers for their participation and Gery Steenge, who was in charge of the conduct of the experiment at TNO Nutrition and Food Research, for her dedication.

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Author notes

  1. H van den Berg

    Present address: Netherlands Nutrition Centre, The Hague, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. TNO Quality of Life, Zeist, The Netherlands

    T van Vliet & H van den Berg

  2. Spread and Cooking Product Category (SCC), The Netherlands

    R G J M Jacobs

  3. Unilever Health Institute, Unilever Research & Development, Vlaardingen (URDV), The Netherlands

    E de Deckere, A de Bree & N M J van der Put

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  1. T van Vliet
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Correspondence to A de Bree.

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van Vliet, T., Jacobs, R., de Deckere, E. et al. Effect of fortified spread on homocysteine concentration in apparently healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 769–778 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602570

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602570

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