SUBJECTS NEEDED FOR STUDY OF FOLIC ACID

September 10, 2004

Thank you for your interest, this study is now closed to new particpants as of October, 2005.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Researchers in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition are seeking men and women for a study that will examine how the body uses folate, which may be a key in reducing the risk of heart disease, neural tube defects and strokes.

The interaction of genetic and dietary factors can cause irregularities in the supply and metabolism of folate, or folic acid, and lead to serious health problems. Recent research has focused on the ability of folate to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood. Evidence suggests that an excess of homocysteine is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Elevated homocysteine levels can affect the way blood vessels dilate, resulting in atherosclerosis, and increase the risk of blood clotting.

Scientists have begun to recognize that several key folate enzymes play an important role in folate/homocysteine metabolism, although their understanding of the effects of these enzymes in the body is still elementary. Quantifying those effects more precisely will enable researchers to determine how much folic acid and other B-related vitamins are needed for disease prevention.

Andrew Clifford, a UC Davis professor of nutrition, and his colleagues have constructed the first quantitative model of folate metabolism as it might occur in the human body. The team is seeking to identify the importance of each folate-relevant enzyme in the proper use of folate. Rather than looking at only a general mean for folate levels, Clifford and his colleagues can use the model to examine how individuals process folate differently. Some people might not store enough folate in their bodies and may need higher levels for disease prevention and longer lives.

The researchers are seeking hundreds of men and women between 18 and 65 over the next few years to test their blood levels for folate, key folate enzymes and polymorphisms. Polymorphisms are genetic abnormalities that may be beneficial, harmful or neither. The screening tests to be conducted on study participants are not widely available, may cost several hundreds of dollars and typically are not covered by insurance. The tests could be informative for people with a personal or family history of heart disease, but without well-established risk factors such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes.

For more information about study, contact Elizabeth Noceti at (530) 752-2779.