Low maternal vitamin B-12 status is associated with offspring insulin resistance regardless of antenatal micronutrient supplementation in rural Nepal

J Nutr. 2011 Oct;141(10):1912-7. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.144717. Epub 2011 Aug 24.

Abstract

Questions have been raised about potentially negative effects of antenatal folic acid use in populations with a high prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency. Our objective was to examine the association between maternal folate and vitamin B-12 status in pregnancy on offspring insulin resistance and examine whether the effects of maternal micronutrient supplementation varied by baseline maternal folate and/or vitamin B-12 status. Pregnant women were cluster randomized to receive daily supplements containing vitamin A alone or with folic acid, folic acid+iron, folic acid+iron+zinc, or a multiple micronutrient. In a subsample (n = 1132), micronutrient status biomarkers were analyzed at baseline and late pregnancy. Children born to the women who participated in the trial were visited at 6-8 y of age. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin were used to estimate insulin resistance using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Children whose mothers were deficient in vitamin B-12 (<148 pmol/L, 27%) during early pregnancy had a 26.7% increase in HOMA-IR (P = 0.02), but there was no association with maternal folate status. Among children born to women who were vitamin B-12 deficient at baseline, the percent difference in HOMA-IR compared to the control group was 15.1% (95% CI: -35.9, 106.4), 4.9% (-41.6, 88.5), 3.3% (-38.4, 73.5), and 18.1% (-29.0, 96.7) in the folic acid, folic acid-iron, folic acid-iron-zinc, and multiple micronutrient supplementation groups, respectively, none of which were significant. Maternal vitamin B-12 deficiency is associated with an elevated risk of insulin resistance, but supplementation with folic acid or other micronutrients led to no significant change in insulin resistance in school-aged offspring.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / complications
  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / prevention & control
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Dietary Supplements / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Folic Acid / adverse effects*
  • Folic Acid / blood
  • Folic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Folic Acid Deficiency / complications
  • Folic Acid Deficiency / epidemiology
  • Folic Acid Deficiency / physiopathology
  • Folic Acid Deficiency / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Iron, Dietary / adverse effects
  • Iron, Dietary / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Nepal / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications / physiopathology*
  • Pregnancy Complications / prevention & control
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / blood
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / etiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Rural Health
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / complications
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / epidemiology
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / physiopathology*
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / prevention & control
  • Zinc / adverse effects
  • Zinc / deficiency
  • Zinc / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Iron, Dietary
  • Folic Acid
  • Zinc