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Is folic acid for everybody? Present knowledge suggest that a substantial
minority (10%) of people may have increased folate needs because of common
genetic variants that interact with particular nutrients. Homozygosity for
a 677C -> T mutation at the locus that codes for 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate
reductase (MTHFR), a folate-dependent crucial enzyme in homocysteine
metabolism, may render the enzyme thermolabile and less active and has been
associated with increased levels of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy).
Nevertheless, mutant MTHFR prevalence and its relation with birth defect
occurrence in different population still is unknown.
Dally S, Mills JL, Molloy AM, Conley M, Lee YJ, Kirke PN, Weir DG, Scott
JM (1997) Minimum effective dose of folic acid for food fortification to
prevent neural tube defects. Lancet 350:1666-1669.
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