Re: B vitamins no help in stopping heart attacks-study


"Jim Chinnis" <jchinnis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:beroh1pn0su888ha48hp420410cmn0fjgk@xxxxxxxxxx
> listener <listener@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in part:
>
> >STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Giving B vitamins to heart attack survivors does
> >not cut their risk of having another attack and may actually do more harm
> >than good, researchers said on Monday.
> >
> >The finding confounds supporters of vitamins, including some doctors, who
> >have argued that folic acid and vitamin B-6 can prevent heart disease by
> >reducing levels of a substance called homocysteine in the blood.
> >
> >A study of more than 3,700 patients presented at the European Society of
> >Cardiology congress showed high doses of B vitamins could be bad news.
> >
> >Those who took folic acid or vitamin B-6 alone had a small and
> >statistically insignificant increase in the risk of cardiovascular
> >disease, but those who took both saw their risk jump by 20 percent.
> >
> >Professor Kaare Harald Bonaa of the University of Tromso, Norway, said
> >the 3-year trial showed vitamins did reduce homocysteine levels, by
> >around 30 percent, but this did not translate into lowered heart risk.
> >
> >"The homocysteine hypothesis is dead," he told reporters.
> >
> >Homocysteine, an amino acid, is produced when the body metabolises high-
> >protein foods. Scientists think that high concentrations could damage
> >blood-vessel walls.
> >
> >"The results of the trial are important because they tell doctors that
> >prescribing high doses of B vitamins will not prevent heart disease or
> >stroke. B vitamins should be prescribed only to patients who have B
> >vitamin deficiency," Bonaa said.
>
> This isn't the first study to show that lowering homocysteine with
> B-vitamins doesn't help. What we need is a different way of lowering the
> homocysteine without B-vitamins and the like. Homocysteine still is
> predictive of heart disease and stroke. Maybe it's just a marker and maybe
> it's a cause but the B-vitamins have negative effects that offset it.
>
> (As I sip my espresso.)
> --
> Jim Chinnis Warrenton, Virginia, USA

This was in regard to heart attacks. homocysteine is still elevated in B12
and folate deficiency states. It is also used as a marker for CAD and it's
role is obviously being evaluated in terms of pathophysiology.
The quickest way to bypass unknown physiology is to simply give somebody
something that is a marker and see if it helps.
Does giving CoQ10 to people with statins help or make a difference? Some
people say dose is important.

If you look at the clinical presentations of people with congenital
homocyteinemia then you will see that it is a condition very impacted with
gene dosage and clinical presentation.
Abortions are common so there are other clotting disorders clinical
implications and not just CAD that is of concern.
"When homocysteine levels are elevated in the presence of factor V Leiden or
the prothrombin gene G20210A mutation, risk of recurrent thrombosis appears
to be increased beyond the risk associated with any one defect alone."

It may be that the some other genetic mutation within the same gene of
homocyteinemia that is causing the heart risk and you can use homocyteine
levels as a stand in for that gene. Lowering of homocyteine would not impact
that gene and thus no lowering of heart attack rate. It may still be used a
marker.





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Relevant Pages

  • Re: B vitamins no help in stopping heart attacks-study
    ... >not cut their risk of having another attack and may actually do more harm ... >The finding confounds supporters of vitamins, including some doctors, who ... >have argued that folic acid and vitamin B-6 can prevent heart disease by ... >reducing levels of a substance called homocysteine in the blood. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: B vitamins no help in stopping heart attacks-study
    ... > not cut their risk of having another attack and may actually do more harm ... > The finding confounds supporters of vitamins, including some doctors, who ... > have argued that folic acid and vitamin B-6 can prevent heart disease by ... > reducing levels of a substance called homocysteine in the blood. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • B vitamins no help in stopping heart attacks-study
    ... STOCKHOLM - Giving B vitamins to heart attack survivors does ... not cut their risk of having another attack and may actually do more harm ... The finding confounds supporters of vitamins, including some doctors, who ... reducing levels of a substance called homocysteine in the blood. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: Methionine increases heart disease risk
    ... Homocysteine is an independent risk factor along with CRP. ... supplementing with heavy doses of B vitamins, ... The reference range for homocysteine is established like any other reference ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: the business of carbs or is it the conspiracy or carbs?
    ... But studies on the whole seem to show that reducing homocysteine worsens ... rather than improves risk of heart disease and stroke. ... about 10% less coronary heart disease and about 20% less stroke. ... The 10-year CHD risk ...
    (sci.med.nutrition)