Intakes of Vitamin B-12 from Dairy Food, Meat, and Fish and Shellfish Are Independently and Positively Associated with Vitamin B-12 Biomarker Status in Pregnant Dutch Women

Background: The effect of vitamin B-12 from different animal foods on vitamin B-12 biomarker status has not previously been evaluated in pregnant women.Objective: We examined the association of vitamin B-12 intake from dairy, meat, fish (including shellfish), and eggs with circulating concentrations of vitamin B-12 biomarkers and with the presence of vitamin B-12 deficiency in 1266 pregnant women participating in the KOALA Birth Cohort Study.Methods: Blood samples were collected in weeks 34-36 of pregnancy, and vitamin B-12 intake from foods and supplements was estimated with a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Total vitamin B-12, holotranscobalamin (holoTC), and methylmalonic acid (MMA) were determined in plasma. Vitamin B-12 deficiency was defined as holoTC 0.45 μmol/L. Associations were evaluated with linear and logistic regression analyses, adjusting for potential confounders.Results: Significant dose-response relations were observed between vitamin B-12 intake from dairy, meat, and fish and plasma vitamin B-12, holoTC, and MMA [P-trend for (shell)fish with MMA = 0.002; P-trend for dairy, meat, and fish with all other markers