Folate levels among various populations in central Iran

Serum folic acid levels (Lactobacillus casei assay) were determined in 467 subjects representing various socioeconomic classes from rural and urban central Iran. Of the subjects 170 were pregnant females in different trimesters. The mean serum folate levels of the various groups studied ranged from 7.5 to 11.1 ng/ml and are within the normal reported range of 5.9 to 21.0 ng/ml. Only two subjects had serum folate levels below 3.0 to 5.9 ng/ml. In anemic subjects (hematocrit is less than 37%), red blood cell folate levels were also determined and were significantly higher than nonanemic controls (558 +/- 56 versus 346 +/- 35 ng/ml of packed red blood cells, P is less than 0.01). This difference may be related to underutilization of folate in patients with iron deficiency (a common metal deficiency in this area). A probable explanation for the well maintained serum folate levels in late pregnancy as well as in other populations studied in this report may be the high dietary intake of Iranian bread made from wheat flour of high extraction rate.