Association between seasonal serum folate levels and ultraviolet radiation

UV radiation has been consistently reported to cause folate photodegradation in vitro and in human skin. Seasonal variations in UV radiation might explain seasonal changes in folate levels in blood. Yet, few studies have addressed this phenomenon. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between seasonal variations in serum folate levels in a population of Spain (Latitude: 36° 41' 6.88″; Longitude: 4° 30' 0.64″) and the annual variations of solar ultraviolet reached in the localization. From a sample of 118,831 serum folate determinations, two studies were performed. The first one, which included all subjects, showed a decreased in mean folate concentrations in all seasons with respect to winter with lower values in summer. The risk of folate deficiency was 1.37 times greater in summer than in winter (95%CI: 1.29-1.46). In the second study, subjects with a first folate determination in winter and a second one in summer were 3.32 more likely to develop folate deficiency than those with a first folate determination in summer and a second one in winter (95%CI: 1.55 to 7.11). Folate levels showed a seasonal variation inversely related to solar total UV radiation reached in our location, with maximum daily doses of 5000 J m^-2 reached in June. A gradual increase in percentage of folate deficiency is observed since spring. So, patients with folate levels close to deficiency are at a higher risk of having folate deficiency in summer.