B Vitamins Slow Hardening of Arteries
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a big factor in cardiovascular disease. Arteries become thick, scarred, inflexible and more likely to get clogged by fatty deposits or blood clots. When atherosclerosis develops in the arteries delivering blood to your heart, you’re more likely to have a heart attack. When it happens in the carotid arteries in your neck supplying blood to your brain, you’re at risk for a stroke or a transient ischemic attack — a temporary shortage of blood that can make you “blank out.”
Researchers have known for some time that a high level of homocysteine, a product of incomplete metabolism, is toxic to many types of cells, including cells that line the arteries. They also know that getting adequate amounts of three B vitamins — folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 — can lower homocysteine levels. They’ve had trouble putting pieces together …until now.
A new study shows that high doses of these three nutrients significantly reduce the progression of early-stage subclinical atherosclerosis. The study was done in 506 healthy people, ages 40 to 89, at low risk for cardiovascular disease. Half of them took 5 mg of folic acid, 400 mcg of B12 and 50 mg of B6, or a placebo, for just over three years. Special high-tech ultrasound was used to measure the carotid artery.
The vitamins worked only for a subgroup of people — those who actually needed more of them! Those people had high fasting total homocysteine levels of greater than or equal to 9.1 micromols/liter. Before beginning the study, these people had what was considered normal blood levels of B vitamins. But, as these researchers point out, normal may not be good enough to reduce homocysteine to a level that slows atherosclerosis. (Hodis, HN et al. Stroke, 2009;40. Published online Dec 31, 2008; DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.526798)
By the way, this study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, intervention trial — considered the “gold standard” when it comes to research.
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Heart disease is the #1 killer in the U.S., and it’s been proven that elevated homocysteine levels are a major risk factor. It’s easy to have your homocysteine level checked. Lots of doctors do it as part of a cardiovascular check-up. Make sure you know your level. If it’s high, you’ll want to increase your intake of this heart-healthy B trio. We recommend keeping your level in the low-normal range: no higher than 7-8 umol/L. A homocysteine level over 12 µmol/L should be treated aggressively. Keeping your arteries flexible and open is an important way to reduce your risk for heart disease, and your possible need for cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.
