A proteomic study by researchers at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research showed that rats that were deprived of folate for four weeks exhibited an increase in oxidative stress — a condition common to a lot of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and colon cancer.

The study, believed to be the first to use proteomics to analyze the effects of folate deficiency, supports previous biochemical studies showing that a lack of folate leads to oxidative stress.