Nutrition Guidelines

B-Vitamins, Good for Ailing Hearts

Good nutrition is preventive medicine for people with coronary artery disease. People who have had an angioplasty (a procedure to open up blocked arteries) often experience restenosis or a plugging up again of their newly opened arteries in the following months. A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrates that a simple treatment using B vitamins (folic acid, vitamin B-12, and pyridoxine) significantly reduces restenosis, cutting the rate by half compared to similar patients taking a placebo.

It has been known for some time that folic acid and other B-vitamins help lower a substance in the blood called homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine damage arteries increasing the risk for clogged coronary arteries. Previous studies have shown that patients with a desirable plasma homocysteine level (less then 9 mmol/L) have a 49% lower rate of coronary artery restenosis following angioplasties than heart patients with levels greater than 9 mmol/L.

To see if lowering the levels of homocysteine with B-vitamins would also lower the rate of restenosis or plugged arteries, researchers studied 205 patents that underwent angioplasty. Half of the patients were given B vitamins, the other half a placebo. It was a “double-blind study”, meaning neither the patients nor the doctors know which persons were receiving the B-vitamins until after the study was concluded. This helps eliminates bias in treatment or diagnosis.

After 6 months (the time period when restenosis often occurs) the doctors found that those taking the B-vitamins had a significant drop in their homocysteine levels, from a level of 11.1 to a healthy level of 7.2 mmol/L. They also observed a drop in the number of adverse cardiac events by 48% in those taking folic acid and other B-vitamins compared to those getting the placebo¹.

This is great news for persons who have had angioplasties. If you have had a angioplasty and are interested in keeping your coronary arteries open, here is one simple, inexpensive way that has essentially no side effects and if highly effective.

If you don’t have coronary heart disease and would like to keep it that way, you can also benefit from the same treatment. You can take a daily multivitamin tablet with folic acid (at least 400 mg daily) as well as Vitamin B-12 and pyridoxine, or better yet choose healthy foods to be sure you get at least 400 mg of folic acid daily.

Vitamin B-12 is found primarily in milk and dairy products, eggs, meats, and foods fortified with B-12 such as some soymilks. Animal foods can also be high in saturated fat and cholesterol so you may want to take extra B-12 from a tablet. Folic acid and pyridoxine are found in unrefined foods such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Folic acid seems to be the most effective B-vitamin to lower homocysteine levels in the blood and protect the arteries. A list of foods high in folic acid is listed on the left.

References

1. Guido Schnyder, et al, Decreased rate of coronary restenosis after lowering of plasma homocysteine levels, New England Journal of Medicine 2001;345:1593-1600
2. Pennington JA, Food Values or Portions Commonly Used, Lippincott, 1989.

Updated 2-5-2002 DRH

Making Healthy Choices articles are written by Don Hall, DrPH, CHES president of LifeLong Health with contributions from associated health professionals. Content is general health information from evidence based research. It's purpose is not to treat disease or take the place of advice by your doctor but to promote healthy lifestyles. Persons with health problems should contact their physician for specific guidance.

Copyrighted 2002 by PrevMedix LLC. All rights reserved. Do not make unauthorized copies.