The Folate Investigation - Folate Experiment Part 1

THE VITAMIN B12 AND FOLATE PATHOLOGY INVESTIGATION

THE INVESTIGATION OF ERRORS IN PATHOLOGY TESTS

FOR VITAMIN B12 AND FOLATE DEFICIENCY

BY MEANS OF MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS

INTRODUCTION	THE SERUM VITAMIN B12 INVESTIGATION	THE METHYLMALONIC ACID INVESTIGATION
THE HOMOCYSTEINE INVESTIGATION	THE HOLOTRANSCOBALAMIN INVESTIGATION	THE FOLATE INVESTIGATION
REFERENCES AND LINKS	B12 AND FOLATE INFORMATION	RESPONSES TO INVESTIGATION

THE FOLATE EXPERIMENT PART 1

THE FOLATE EXPERIMENT PART 2

FOLATE EVIDENCE

FOLATE PUBLICATIONS

The Folate Experiment - 1

Introduction

Background

In September 2008, as part of THE SERUM VITAMIN B12 INVESTIGATION, I commenced investigation of the "folate trap", a secondary folate deficiency that is a potential consequence of vitamin B12 deficiency.

When I observed an unexplained increase in the reported red-cell folate results, in March 2009, I arranged for a second laboratory to collect samples and test for red-cell folate, serum folate and serum B12.

The difference in results between the two laboratories, for red-cell folate, was so significant that I arranged for two more laboratories to also do these tests.

Continued in THE FOLATE EXPERIMENT PART 2.

For detailed published articles, please refer to FOLATE PUBLICATIONS.

Objectives

The objectives of The Folate Experiment Part 1 were to:

Investigate the very significant differences between four laboratories for the measurement of red-cell folate.
Investigate the unexplained linear increase in red-cell folate, as reported by QML Pathology

Laboratories and Assay Methods

These were the laboratories and assay methods:

Laboratory	Red-cell Folate Method
QML Pathology, Brisbane QLD	Siemens Advia Centaur
Gribbles Pathology, Southport QLD	Siemens Advia Centaur
Coastal Pathology, Buderim QLD	Roche ElecSys 2010
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Brisbane QLD	Beckman Coulter Access Dxl 800