Title: Lowering of Homocysteine Concentrations in Elderly Men and Women
Abstract: B-vitamin supplementation has previously been shown to lower the concentration of plasma total homocysteine, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Little is known about the homocysteine-lowering effects of low-dose B-vitamins in elderly individuals, who are prone to higher homocysteine levels due to advanced age and a greater frequency of impaired vitamin status. We aimed to identify if and to what extent B-vitamins lower total homocysteine and its subfractions in elderly individuals. Men and women (>= 60 years) received either B-vitamins (400 mug folic acid +1.65 mg pyridoxine +3 mug cyanocobalamin) or a placebo daily for 4 weeks. Subjects in the vitamin group showed a significant decrease in plasma total homocysteine during the first 2 weeks; thereafter, total homocysteine only slightly decreased further resulting in a geometric mean reduction of –16.3% (95% CI: –11.3% to –21.0%) over the entire treatment period. Free homocysteine decreased as well. However, the observed higher ratio of free/total homocysteine after 4 weeks of supplementation suggest a more pronounced reduction in protein-bound homocysteine. Low-dose B-vitamin supplementation is effective in lowering homocysteine in elderly individuals. Further studies are needed to be able to depict the effect of B-vitamin supplementation on different homocysteine subfractions in plasma.
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 16
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