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Folic acid may improve peripheral artery disease
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Folic acid (folate) in leafy greens
It appears that folic acid supplements may do much more than help prevent birth defects. A new study published in the British Journal of Surgery reports that 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily for 16 weeks can result in significant improvement in blood pressure, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and improve blood flow in people who have peripheral artery disease.
According to the American Heart Association, peripheral artery disease affects about 8 million adults in the United States. The disease occurs when the blood vessels in the legs become narrowed or blocked by plaque, a condition that can lead to serious disease and death.
Folic acid and folate
The reason folic acid is so effective, according to the study’s authors, is that it significantly reduces levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. To reduce that risk, some experts have suggested the use of B vitamins, including folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
Another supplement used in the study is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), the naturally circulating form of folate. Folate is the form of this vitamin that is found naturally in food; folic acid is the synthetic form used in supplements.
Folic acid study
The study disputes the results of several previous trials in which researchers found that although B vitamin supplements lowered homocysteine levels, they did not reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases. Those earlier trials included the Women’s Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study, the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial, and the Norwegian Vitamin trial.
In the current study, investigators enrolled 133 people who had peripheral artery disease and gave them either 400 mcg folic acid, 400 mcg 5-MTHF, or placebo daily for 16 weeks. At the end of the study, patients in both the folic acid and 5-MTHF groups had significantly lower levels of homocysteine than patients in the placebo group. Patients in both treatment groups also had reduced measures of blood flow (the pulse wave velocity). The study results suggest that lowering homocysteine levels is associated with an improvement in pulse wave velocity and a significant improvement in peripheral arterial circulation.
Learn more
You can learn more about peripheral artery disease at the American Heart Association web site. Detailed information about folic acid and folate, including their role in cardiovascular disease and association with homocysteine, is available at the Linus Pauling Institute web site. More information about the folic acid study in the British Journal of Surgery can also be found online.
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