Effects of multivitamins and low-dose folic acid supplements on flow-mediated vasodilation and plasma homocysteine levels in older adults

American Heart Journal
Cynthia M CarlssonJames H Stein

Abstract

Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with aging, endothelial dysfunction, and increased risk of coronary heart disease in older adults; however, the effects of homocysteine-lowering therapy on vascular reactivity in older persons are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of multivitamins (MV) and folic acid (FA) supplements on flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in older adults. Individuals > or =70 years old with homocysteine levels > or =10 micromol/L were recruited for this 40-week, prospective, single-blinded study. All subjects were treated sequentially, with each of the following daily therapies for 10 weeks: (1) placebo, (2) MV (400 microg FA, 6 mg vitamin B6, 25 microg vitamin B12), (3) placebo, then (4) MV + FA (total FA, 1400 microg). FMD, folate intake, and laboratory values were measured at each visit. Investigators were blinded to subject treatment phase when measuring vessel diameters and calculating FMD. Twenty subjects (mean +/- SEM age, 78.0 +/- 1.2 [range, 70 to 88] years, 9 women) completed the MV and 17 completed the MV + FA interventions. FMD was impaired at baseline (2.0% +/- 1.2%). During the 40-week study, homocysteine levels decreased by 1.4 +/- 0.9 micromol/L (p(trend) = 0.034) f...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 20, 2010·Public Health Nutrition·Quan-Gang QuJian-Meng Liu
Mar 7, 2008·Antioxidants & Redox Signaling·Christian DellesAnna F Dominiczak
Nov 8, 2006·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·S J MoatD Lang
Aug 21, 2007·Vascular and Endovascular Surgery·Christopher J AbularrageSubodh Arora

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