Ethnicity and folate influence choline status in young women consuming controlled nutrient intakes

We previously demonstrated that choline and folate are interrelated and that African American women have lower folate nutriture than Caucasian and Mexican American women under conditions of controlled folate intake. The present study sought to examine the influences of ethnicity and controlled folate intake on choline status.

Forty-two women of Mexican American (n = 14), African American (n = 14), and Caucasian American (n = 14) descent consumed a folate restricted diet (135 microg DFE/d) for 7 weeks, followed by 7 weeks of folate treatment with either 400 or 800 microg DFE/d. Total choline intake remained unchanged throughout the study at approximately 350 mg/d. Plasma choline and its derivatives were measured by LC-MS/MS at weeks 0, 7, and 14.

Plasma phosphatidylcholine declined during folate restriction (P < 0.001) and tended to increase in response to 800 microg DFE/d (week x folate, P = 0.099) in Mexican American and Caucasian women. For African American women, however, phosphatidylcholine continued to decline (week x race, P = 0.056). Plasma betaine was modified by ethnicity and level of folate intake (week x race x folate, P = 0.039) however no clear patterns emerged.

The phosphatidylcholine data suggest that the lower folate status observed in African American women may also be associated with lower choline status. In turn, diseases linked to folate may also be linked to choline.