Question

Provide a
possible mechanism why folate can mask vitamin B12
deficiency.

Answer 1

High folate levels can mask vitamin B12 deficiency by compensating for B12's role in the methionine synthesis pathway, reducing homocysteine levels but not preventing neurological damage from B12 deficiency.

Step-by-step explanation:

Folate supplementation can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency because both vitamins are crucial in the methionine synthesis pathway. Folate participates in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, a process which also requires vitamin B12 as a cofactor. When folate levels are high, the body can compensate for a lack of B12 and reduce the associated high levels of homocysteine, thus masking the hematological symptoms of B12 deficiency, which can lead to megaloblastic anemia. However, this masking effect does not alleviate the potential neurological damage caused by B12 deficiency. Adequate intake of both vitamins is vital; B12 sources include liver, egg, meat, and fish, while folate is found in foods like liver, eggs, and leafy vegetables.

Answer 2

Folate is bused to treat vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes anemia that affects neurological system and higher level of folate helps in preventing anemia by preventing deterioration of brain cells.

In B12 deficiency, folate cycle get disrupted that affects regeneration of methylene-tetrahydrofolate which is required for the synthesis of thymidine for DNA replication. Folate is trapped as methylfolate and causes folate deficiency which demands for the supply of folic acid.Folic acid is recommended to a B12-deficient patient, as it allows the reduction of folic acid to dihydrofolate and further to tetrahydrofolate which removes the blockage of folate. this helps in the masking of brain cells to get deteriorate due to deficiency of B12.

Like this Folate can mask vitamin B12 Deficiency.