November 28, 2006
In the British Medical Journal Wald et al contribute to the debate on whether reducing blood homocysteine levels with folic acid promotes cardiovascular health. In a strongly analytical paper they comprehensively assess the evidence and conclude that lowering homocysteine can indeed be protective. They also point out that carriers of certain genetic variants such as MTHFR C677T require up to 800 mcg folic acid in the diet to keep homocysteine at normal levels. The folic acid DRI for the average population is 400 mcg which may not be sufficient for 677T carriers and 800 mcg which is easily obtainable through diet or supplements is well below the USDA safe upper limits.
The article ends:
"The conclusion that homocysteine is a cause of cardiovascular disease explains the observations from all the different types of study, even if the results from one type of study are, on their own, insufficient to reach that conclusion. No single alternative explanation can account for all the observations. Since folic acid reduces homocysteine concentrations, to an extent dependent on background folate levels, it follows that increasing folic acid consumption will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by an amount related to the homocysteine reduction achieved. We therefore take the view that the evidence is now sufficient to justify action on lowering homocysteine concentrations, although the position should be reviewed as evidence from ongoing clinical trials emerges."
Read the commentary on nutraingredients.com
the full paper is available online in the British Medical Journal
Category Latest Research
Posted at 04:19 AM