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Folic Acid Supplements May Counter Atherosclerosis

Daily supplementation of folic acid may reduce hardening of the arteries and counter atherosclerosis.

Folic acid is a B vitamin, which has been shown to reduce homocysteine, elevated levels of which are suggested to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Scientists from Anhui Medical University and Peking University First Hospital (China) completed a meta-analysis that included data from 10 clinical trials involving a total of 2,052 participants. The team found that higher levels of folic acid consistently associated with a significantly reduced thickening of arterial walls – a condition called carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) – a marker of atherosclerosis. Further, the data was found to suggest that the greatest reductions in homocysteine via folic acid supplementation yielded the greatest heart health benefits.

Xianhui Qin, Minrui Xu, Yan Zhang, Jianping Li, et al. “Effect of folic acid supplementation on the progression of carotid intima-media thickness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.”  Atherosclerosis Vol. 222, Issue 2, Pages 307-313, June 2012.

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