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Erythrocyte Folate Levels in Young and Old
Author(s) -
WEBSTER S. G. P.,
LEEMING J. T.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1979.tb01725.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , folic acid , gerontology , pediatrics , physiology , optics , physics
Erythrocyte folate levels were compared among 25 young healthy subjects (mean age, 27 years), 29 healthy subjects aged over 75 living in the community, 62 subjects (mean age, 75) admitted to a geriatric assessment ward (acute illnesses), and 32 subjects (aged over 65) in a ward for long‐term physical or mental illnesses. Overall, the female/male sex ratio varied from 2:1 to 3:1. For the three elderly groups, the incidence of low erythrocyte folate levels (less than 100 mμg/100 ml) were 24 percent, 16 percent, and 18 percent, respectively. For the young group, the mean value would be be over 296 mμg/100 ml. Dietary folate deficiency may often account for low folate blood levels in the elderly, but other factors should also be implicated, e.g., the ability to absorb folate.