Folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid), a B vitamin, is one that I have written a lot about, it has been linked to heart health, mood, pregnancy outcomes and much more. In July I wrote about the B vitamins, folate and vitamin B12, being linked to heart disease .
There has been a lot of research interest in the links between B vitamins and risk of cardiovascular disease (stroke and heart disease) over the last decade. The rationale behind this is that there is evidence to suggest that elevated homocysteine levels are a risk factor for heart disease and low levels of the B vitamins B6, folate and B12 are linked to raised homocysteine levels. For more information on homocysteine please click here
A recently published study(1) has found that folate may also be linked to cholesterol levels (another potential risk factor for heart disease). The study looked at data for blood vitamin B12 and folate levels in over 1700 individuals. They found that higher folate levels were associated with lower levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol, the so called ‘bad’ cholesterol which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease). They also found that higher levels of folate were linked to higher levels of ‘good’ cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol). The study authors also compared the individuals of the highest with those of the lowest levels of folate. They found that individuals with the highest folate had higher levels of HDL-cholesterol, lower levels of LDL-cholesterol and a lower LDL-C: HDL-C- ratio, this is indicative of a favourable cholesterol profile. In this study Vitamin B12 was not associated with the cholesterol profile.
The study authors call for more research to further investigate the link between folate and cholesterol levels. The current study only provides a potential link, it does not prove that low folate levels are linked to raised LDL cholesterol levels. The study does provide further evidence to suggest that there may also be a link between cholesterol and homocysteine levels, other studies have also suggested such a link. These are very complex interactions and further research to elucidate links could provide really useful information on how diet can be used to reduce the risks of heart disease.
At the present time there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that B vitamins can reduce the risk of heart disease and supplements cannot be recommended as a preventative measure. Having a good level of B vitamins in the diet is, however, important for health. Vitamin B6 is found in foods like potatoes, bananas, beans and chickpeas, avocados, fish and poultry. Vitamin B12 is found mainly in meat, fish and poultry. Eggs and cheese also contain B12 as does brewer’s yeast. Folic acid is found in beans, green vegetables and wholegrains.
Supplements should never be seen as an alternative to a healthy diet and it is wise to check with you doctor before starting any new supplement regiment. If you are thinking about taking a vitamin B supplement I would always suggest a broad spectrum supplement that supplies adequate, but not megadose, levels of all of the B vitamins (not single nutrient supplements), these vitamins work best together as a team
(1)Semmler A et al. 2010. Plasma folate levels are associated with the lipoprotein profile: a retrospective database analysis. Nutrition Journal. 9:31E-pub prior to print. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-31 Published 28 July 2010
| Written by Ani Kowal |
Related posts:
- Higher folate levels recently linked to reduced risk of hearing loss
- Folate may be related to cancer prevention in women
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be associated with low folate levels during pregnancy
- High folate levels linked to reduced allergies
- Eating nuts might help to improve cholesterol levels
