Folate and Vitamin B6 From Diet and Supplements in Relation to Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Among Women
Open Access
- 4 February 1998
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA
- Vol. 279 (5) , 359-364
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.279.5.359
Abstract
THREE DECADES AGO, premature vascular occlusive disease was identified in patients with inborn metabolic disorders associated with homocysteinuria, leading to the hypothesis that elevated blood homocysteine levels may cause coronary disease.1,2 More recently, evidence linking moderately elevated blood homocysteine levels to increased risk3 has focused attention on genetic and lifestyle determinants of homocysteine levels. Folate and vitamin B6 are important cofactors for metabolism. Supplementation of the diet above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) with folate alone,4,5 or in combination with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, reduces homocysteine levels.3,6-9 The current RDA for folic acid for nonpregnant women is 180 µg/d,10 and the average dietary intake in this country among adult women is approximately 225 µg/d.11 Because of evidence that this level of intake may be insufficient to minimize risk of neural tube defects, and possibly coronary heart disease (CHD), some have urged that the RDA be reset to the earlier level of 400 µg/d.12Keywords
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