Table 2.

RBC‐folate load without supplements (hypothetical) and according to the folate dose and intervention duration in young women who started the trial with a baseline RBC‐folate concentration < 906 nmol L^–1 (n = 172)

Folate (nmol) load/ 1 litre RBC	Folate dose = 400 μg d–1	Folate dose = 800 μg d–1	ph
Number	88	84
Stationary folate load a
visits 1→ 2 (first 4 weeks)b	134 (97, 170)/73	131 (105, 165)/60	0.915
visits 1→ 3 (total 8 weeks)c	268 (194, 340)/146	262 (209, 331)/122	0.915
Observed total folate load d
visits 1→ 2 (first 4 weeks)e	299 (236, 397)/160	409 (347, 481)/237	<0.001
visits 1→ 3 (total 8 weeks)f	630 (492, 729)/134	795 (711, 898)/187	<0.001
Net folate load from supplements g
visits 1→ 2 (first 4 weeks)	169 (111, 245)/134	275 (209, 353)/144	<0.001
visits 1→ 3 (total 8 weeks)	346 (271, 461)/190	551 (410, 638)/228	<0.001

Data are median (25^th, 75^th percentiles)/ interquartile range (IQR).

^aStationary RBC‐folate load is a hypothetical condition that is calculated under stable dietary intake and no additional supplements.

according to the equations:

^b= baseline RBC‐folate ‐ (baseline RBC‐folate × 0.76);

^c= baseline RBC‐folate ‐ (baseline RBC‐folate × 0.52) where 0.76 and 0.52 are the survival fraction of RBCs after 28 and 56 days according to Shrestha et al.15

^dObserved total folate load from diet plus supplements.

according to the equations:

^e= measured RBC‐folate at 4 weeks ‐ (baseline RBC‐folate × 0.76);

^f= measured RBC‐folate at 8 weeks ‐ (baseline RBC‐folate × 0.52).

^gNet folate load from the supplements only (= total folate load under supplements – stationary folate load).

^hp values are according to Wilcoxon rank sum test.

RBC, red blood cell.