High Folic Acid Pregnancy Diabetes Risk
- New research led by Flinders University highlights the urgent need to establish a safe upper limit for folic acid intake during pregnancy and to improve guidelines on folic...
- National surveillance shows a significant increase in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Australia.The incidence has more than tripled, rising from 5.6% in 2010 to 19.3% in 2022.
- Tanja Jankovic-Karasoulos (now at The University of Adelaide) and Professor Claire roberts at Flinders University, emphasizes the need for both a safe upper limit for FA intake...
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Folic Acid and Gestational Diabetes: New Research Highlights Risks of Excess Intake
Table of Contents
The Link Between Folic Acid and Gestational Diabetes
New research led by Flinders University highlights the urgent need to establish a safe upper limit for folic acid intake during pregnancy and to improve guidelines on folic acid supplementation. A study published in the journal Nutrients (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/17/2863) links the rise in gestational diabetes in part to excess maternal folate levels, due to the combined impact of folic acid (FA, or synthetic folate) in food fortification and higher-than-recommended supplementation doses during pregnancy.
Rising Rates of Gestational Diabetes in Australia
National surveillance shows a significant increase in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Australia.The incidence has more than tripled, rising from 5.6% in 2010 to 19.3% in 2022. This dramatic increase warrants investigation into potential contributing factors, and this new research points to folic acid intake as a possible element.
Key Findings of the Research
The research, led by Dr. Tanja Jankovic-Karasoulos (now at The University of Adelaide) and Professor Claire roberts at Flinders University, emphasizes the need for both a safe upper limit for FA intake during pregnancy and a re-evaluation of current supplementation guidelines. These guidelines must consider the widespread food fortification practices and the increasing doses and durations of real-world supplementation.
“Our study shows that excess maternal folate significantly increases GDM risk in our post-fortification pregnancy cohort,” says Dr. Jankovic-Karasoulos, from the Robinson Research Institute at the university of Adelaide.
“We suspect that increased FA intake over the past 10-15 years is contributing to the steady rise