Meta-analysis justifies the use of folic acid to reduce heart disease and stroke
On November 25, 2006 issue British medical journal published the conclusion of researchers at the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine Dentistry and there is enough scientific evidence to justify the use of the B vitamin folic acid as a cheap and simple way to reduce disease heart and stroke. Increased consumption of folic acid is associated with lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with disease development cardiovascular disease.
Dr. David S. Wald and his colleagues evaluated 27 cohort studies that examined the association between homocysteine levels and risk of attack heart disease and stroke in a large number of people, 80 studies that evaluated the effect of a genetic variant which increases homocysteine levels in disease heart and 30 that examined its effect on stroke and 11 randomly controlled trials that examined the effect of reducing homocysteine levels in heart attack and stroke.
Cohort studies analyzed together confirmed a significant positive association between elevated homocysteine levels and heart attack and sudden cardiac death and stroke. A reduction of 3 micromoles per liter of serum homocysteine, which is achievable with 800 micrograms of folic acid per day acid was associated with a 15 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 24 percent reduction in stroke. Analysis of genetic studies provided similar results. Although randomized trials were too small to provide conclusive results, the results were consistent with a small reduction in ischemic heart disease and stroke associated with homocysteine reduction.
"Since folic acid reduces concentrations homocysteine, to an extent dependent on background folate levels, it follows that increasing folic acid consumption reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by an amount related to the homocysteine reduction achieved, "the authors conclude." Therefore, that the evidence is now sufficient to justify action in reducing homocysteine levels, although the position should be reviewed as evidence of ongoing clinical trials emerges.
About the Author
Dayna Dye writes for Life Extension - a global authority on health, wellness and nutrition as well as a provider of scientific information on anti-aging therapies and nutritional supplements, including minerals, herbs, hormones and vitamins.
Part 2 - Heart Transplant Conclusion
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