Clinical Study Title:
Multivitamin/mineral supplementation improves plasma B-vitamin status and homocysteine concentration in healthy older adults consuming a folate-fortified diet

Plain English Summary:

One of the leading risk factors associated with heart disease is an elevated homocysteine level. This research study examined the effect of a multivitamin supplement for older men who were already taking folic acid on their homocysteine level. Participants either received the multivitamin or a placebo for 8 weeks. Those participants taking the placebo had no change in their homocysteine levels, yet the participants who took the multivitamin supplement had significantly lowered homocysteine levels, as well as then a reduced risk in heart disease. The multivitamin supplement used daily is then associated with reduced risk of heart disease associated with high homocysteine levels.

Authors

McKay DL. Perrone G. Rasmussen H. Dallal G. Blumberg JB.

Institution

Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.

Country of Publication

United States

Source

Journal of Nutrition. 130(12):3090-6, 2000 Dec.