Despite reducing levels of a protein linked with heart disease, supplements containing the B vitamin folic acid don't reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, death or cancer, according to a new huge scale analysis of studies on the issue. Folic acid helps avoid devastating neural tube birth defect such as spina bifida. Since it also lower blood levels of the protein homocysteine, which is associated with heart and blood vessel disease and other ills, some scientists hoped that the powerful vitamin might minor the risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer.
The current meta-analysis suggests that even taken at high doses, folic acid supplement don't have that effect. The report is available in the Oct. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Vitamins are necessary to avoid diseases of deficiency like scurvy and rickets, but more is not essentially better and may be harmful," said Dr. Jeffrey A. Tice, assistant professor of medicine in house at the University of California, San Francisco and author of a supplementary journal editorial. To examine folic acid supplements possible role in prevent cancer, heart disease or stroke, a team led by Robert Clarke, from the University of Oxford in England, composed data on 37,485 people who took part in eight trials comparing the value of folic acid supplements beside placebo.
These trials represent all the huge randomized studies available that were intended to lower plasma homocysteine levels for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Over five years, there were 9,326 major coronary events, including care and new heart procedures. In addition, 3,010 patients residential cancer and 5,125 people died, according to the report. Even though those taking folic acid saw a 25 percent decrease in homocysteine levels, they were just as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those getting a placebo. In fact, 24.9 percent of these unpleasant events were among those taking folic acid and 24.8 percents were among those receiving placebo, the researchers found.
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The current meta-analysis suggests that even taken at high doses, folic acid supplement don't have that effect. The report is available in the Oct. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Vitamins are necessary to avoid diseases of deficiency like scurvy and rickets, but more is not essentially better and may be harmful," said Dr. Jeffrey A. Tice, assistant professor of medicine in house at the University of California, San Francisco and author of a supplementary journal editorial. To examine folic acid supplements possible role in prevent cancer, heart disease or stroke, a team led by Robert Clarke, from the University of Oxford in England, composed data on 37,485 people who took part in eight trials comparing the value of folic acid supplements beside placebo.
These trials represent all the huge randomized studies available that were intended to lower plasma homocysteine levels for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Over five years, there were 9,326 major coronary events, including care and new heart procedures. In addition, 3,010 patients residential cancer and 5,125 people died, according to the report. Even though those taking folic acid saw a 25 percent decrease in homocysteine levels, they were just as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those getting a placebo. In fact, 24.9 percent of these unpleasant events were among those taking folic acid and 24.8 percents were among those receiving placebo, the researchers found.
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