07.01.04
Indication: Heart disease
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004;79(5);805-811.
Research: One hundred and eighty-nine study participants, ages 50-85, were randomly assigned to consume one cup of breakfast cereal fortified with 440 mcg folic acid, 1.8 mg vitamin B6 and 4.8 mcg of vitamin B12 or placebo cereal for 12 weeks. Blood was drawn at baseline and again after week two, 12 and 14. Methionine-loading tests were also carried out to measure homocysteine breakdown. All subjects were free of hypertension, anemia, asthma, cancer or cardiovascular or digestive disease, and did not regularly consume multiple or B vitamin supplements or highly fortified breakfast cereal.
Results: Final baseline-adjusted plasma homocysteine concentrations were significantly lower and B vitamin concentrations were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the placebo group. The percentage of subjects with folate concentrations less than 11 nmol/L decreased from 2% to 0%, while those with vitamin B12 concentration less than 185 pmol/L fell from 9% to 3%. Those with low B6 levels also decreased from 6% to 2%. Meanwhile homocysteine concentration above 10.4 mmol/L in women or 11.4 mmol/L in men fell from 6.4% to 1.6%.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004;79(5);805-811.
Research: One hundred and eighty-nine study participants, ages 50-85, were randomly assigned to consume one cup of breakfast cereal fortified with 440 mcg folic acid, 1.8 mg vitamin B6 and 4.8 mcg of vitamin B12 or placebo cereal for 12 weeks. Blood was drawn at baseline and again after week two, 12 and 14. Methionine-loading tests were also carried out to measure homocysteine breakdown. All subjects were free of hypertension, anemia, asthma, cancer or cardiovascular or digestive disease, and did not regularly consume multiple or B vitamin supplements or highly fortified breakfast cereal.
Results: Final baseline-adjusted plasma homocysteine concentrations were significantly lower and B vitamin concentrations were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the placebo group. The percentage of subjects with folate concentrations less than 11 nmol/L decreased from 2% to 0%, while those with vitamin B12 concentration less than 185 pmol/L fell from 9% to 3%. Those with low B6 levels also decreased from 6% to 2%. Meanwhile homocysteine concentration above 10.4 mmol/L in women or 11.4 mmol/L in men fell from 6.4% to 1.6%.
