Vitamin B does not prevent heart disease

This is according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The rational behind the study is the fact that high levels of homocystein are a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. B group vitamin deficiencies can result in elevated homocystein levels and plasma total homocysteine levels can be reduced if a person orally takes folic acid and vitamin B12.

The authors looked at the effect of supplementing folic acid and vitamin B12 in patients in two hospitals in Norway betwee 1999 and 2006. After one month, one year, and at the end of the study, patients were to follow-up with the researchers by completing an interview, a clinical examination, and a blood test. The primary end point on which the researchers focused was a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, acute hospitalization for unstable angina pectoris, and nonfatal thromboembolic stroke.

It is important to note that this study was terminated prematurely. Participants became concerned because preliminary results from another Norwegian study suggested that there were no benefits from the treatment and B vitamins were increasing the risk of cancer.