Description

• Recent studies have indicated that elevated plasma homocysteine levels---Hyperhomocysteinemia, is a risk factor for atherosclerotic disease, and circulating concentrations of homocysteine are related to levels of folate and vitamin B6. Lower levels of folate and vitamin B6 confer an increased risk of atherosclerosis. concentrations can be reduced by vitamin supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
• B-vitamins working synergistically are part of enzymes, which regulate many activities in human body, they participate e.g. in developing blood cells, affecting energy and protein metabolism.
• The accumulating evidence for the role of homocysteine as a risk factor for atherosclerosis is persuasive. A high plasma homocysteine concentration induces pathologic changes in the arterial wall and thus is strongly associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, manifested as cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular events.
• The amino acid homocysteine is metabolized in the human body involving the vitamins folic acid, B12 and B6 as essential cofactors and coenzymes, respectively. Supplementation of these vitamins results in a significant reduction of the homocysteine level.
• Study also shows that combined vitamin supplementation reduces homocysteine levels effectively in patients with venous thrombosis and in healthy volunteers, either with or without hyperhomocysteinemia. Even supplementation with 0.5 mg of folic acid led to a substantial reduction of blood homocysteine levels.
• Low serum vitamin B12 levels and vitamin B12 deficiencies are frequently found in the elderly.
• Since atherosclerosis risk may increase continuously with increasing plasma homocysteine, it may be wise to keep plasma homocysteine levels as low as possible. To reach this goal, the recommended dietary allowance of folic acid may have to be increased.
• The preventive effect of vitamin B6 on progression of coronary heart disease may be related to increased formation of pyridoxal phosphate, the coenzyme that is required for catabolism of the atherogenic amino acid, homocysteine.
• Recent studies indicate that Vitamin B are also beneficial for brain and mental health.
• Magnesium contribute essentially to the electrical stability of the heart.
• Results from an investigation with 12 years of follow-up suggest that intake of magnesium may have a modest inverse association with risk of CHD among men.

References

1. Vitamin B12, homocysteine and carotid plaque in the era of folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grain products.
   Robertson J,
   CMAJ. 2005 Jun 7;172(12):1569-73.
2. Homocysteine - a newly recognised risk factor for osteoporosis.
   Herrmann M, et al.
   Clin Chem Lab Med. 2005;43(10):1111-7.
3. Group B vitamins as new variables related to the cardiovascular risk
   Granieri M, Bellisarii FI, De Caterina R.
   Ital Heart J Suppl. 2005 Jan;6(1):1-16.
4. Homocysteine and osteoporotic fracture risk: a potential role for B vitamins.
   Cashman KD.
   Nutr Rev. 2005 Jan;63(1):29-36.
5. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are more effective than vitamin B6 in lowering fasting plasma homocysteine concentration in patients with coronary artery disease.
   Lee BJ, Huang MC, Chung LJ, Cheng CH, Lin KL, Su KH, Huang YC.
   Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;58(3):481-7.
6. Magnesium intake and risk of coronary heart disease among men.
   Al-Delaimy WK, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB.
   J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Feb;23(1):63-70.
7. Folate, Vitamin B12, Homocysteine, and the MTHFR 677C->T Polymorphism in Anxiety and Depression: The Hordaland Homocysteine Study.
   Bjelland I, Tell GS, Vollset SE, Refsum H, Ueland PM.
   Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003 Jun;60(6):618-26.
8. Effect of homocysteine-lowering therapy with folic acid, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6) on clinical outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention: the Swiss Heart study: a randomized controlled trial.
   Schnyder G, Roffi M, Flammer Y, Pin R, Hess OM.
   JAMA 2002 Aug 28;288(8):973-9
9. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
   Seshadri S, Beiser A, Selhub J, Jacques PF, Rosenberg IH, D'Agostino RB, Wilson PW, Wolf PA.
   N Engl J Med 2002 Feb 14;346(7):476-83
10. Randomized trial of folic acid supplementation and serum homocysteine levels.
    Wald DS, Bishop L, Wald NJ, Law M, Hennessy E, Weir D, McPartlin J, Scott J.
    Arch Intern Med 2001 Mar 12;161(5):695-700
11. Vitamin supplements and cardiovascular risk: review of the randomized trials of homocysteine-lowering vitamin supplements.
    Clarke R, Armitage J.
    Semin Thromb Hemost 2000;26(3):341-8
12. Homocysteine as a risk factor for atherosclerosis.
    Temple ME, Luzier AB, Kazierad DJ.
    Ann Pharmacother 2000 Jan;34(1):57-65
13. Homocysteinemia and vascular disease--a new risk factor is born]
    Reis RP, Luís AS
    Rev Port Cardiol 1999 May 18:5 507-14
14. Homocyst(e)ine and cardiovascular disease: a critical review of the epidemiologic evidence [see comments]
    Eikelboom JW, Lonn E, Genest J Jr, Hankey G, Yusuf S
    Ann Intern Med 1999 Sep 7 131:5 363-75
15. Recommended dietary allowance of folic acid is insufficient for optimal homocysteine levels
    Brouwer DA, Welten HT, van Doormaal JJ, Reijngoud DJ, Muskiet FA
    Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 1998 Apr 4 142:14 782-6
16. Lowering blood homocysteine with folic acid based supplements: meta-analysis of randomised trials.
    Homocysteine Lowering Trialists' Collaboration.
    Anonymous
    BMJ 1998 Mar 21 316:7135 894-8
17. Vitamins B12, B6 and folate as determinants of homocysteine concentration in the healthy population.
    Pietrzik K, Brönstrup A
    Eur J Pediatr 1998 Apr 157 Suppl 2: S135-8
18. Plasma homocysteine levels in patients with ischemic cerebral infarction]
    Vila N, Deulofeu R, Chamorro A, Piera C
    Med Clin (Barc) 1998 May 9 110:16 605-8
19. Effect of B-group vitamins and antioxidant vitamins on hyperhomocysteinemia: a double-blind,
    randomized, factorial-design, controlled trial.
    Woodside JV, Yarnell JW, McMaster D, Young IS, Harmon DL, McCrum EE, Patterson CC, Gey KF,
    Whitehead AS, Evans A
    Am J Clin Nutr 1998 May 67:5 858-66
20. Homocysteine and vitamins in cardiovascular disease.
    Jacobsen DW
    Clin Chem 1998 Aug 44:8 Pt 2 1833-43
21. Homocysteine and cardiovascular disease.
    Refsum H, Ueland PM, Nygard O, Vollset SE
    Annu Rev Med 1998 49: 31-62
22. Hyperhomocysteinaemia and vascular disease.
    Townend J, O'Sullivan J, Wilde JT
    Blood Rev 1998 Mar 12:1 23-34
23. Low circulating folate and vitamin B₆ concentrations: risk factors for stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and coronary artery disease. European COMAC Group [see comments]
    Robinson K, Arheart K, Refsum H, Brattström L, Boers G, Ueland P, Rubba P, Palma-Reis R, Meleady R, Daly L, Witteman J, Graham I
    Circulation 1998 Feb 10 97:5 437-43

(References searched and cited from National Library of Medicine-PubMed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/ )

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