American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 27, 355-361, Copyright © 1974 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Folic acid abnormalities in iron deficiency: the mechanism of decreased serum folate levels in rats

¹ From the Departments of Hematology and Gastroenterology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20012

Nutritionally iron-deprived rats developed a marked decrease in serum folic acid levels that was corrected with iron replacement. These iron-deficient rats manifested both intramedullary and peripheral red cell destruction, suggesting that the decrease in serum folic acid levels was secondary to increased requirements for this vitamin. Other causes for folic acid deficiency in these rats, such as inadequate dietary intake of folic acid, sequestration of folic acid by intraluminal bacteria, and malabsorption of folic acid were excluded as an etiology for decreased serum folate values. As only the absorption of pteroylmonoglutamic acid was studied, the possibility remains that the absorption of pteroylpolyglutamic acid may be impaired. However, this would appear unlikely because of normal intestinal absorption of other dietary substances.