VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA IN HUMANS

We have previously shown that a modest vitamin supplement containing f olic acid, vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6 is effective in reducing eleva ted plasma homocysteine concentrations. The effect of supplementation of the individual vitamins on moderate hyperhomocysteinemia has now be en investigated in a placebo-controlled study. One hundred men with hy perhomocysteinemia were randomly assigned to five groups and treated w ith a daily dose of placebo, folic acid (0.65 mg), vitamin B-12 (0.4 m g), vitamin B-6 (10 mg) or a combination of the three vitamins for 6 w k. Folic acid supplementation reduced plasma homocysteine concentratio ns by 41.7% (P < 0.001), whereas the daily vitamin B-12 supplement low ered homocysteine concentrations by 14.8% (P < 0.01). The daily pyrido xine dose did not reduce significantly plasma homocysteine concentrati ons. The combination of the three vitamins reduced circulating homocys teine concentrations by 49.8%, which was not significantly different ( P = 0.48) from the reduction achieved by folate supplementation alone. Our results indicate that an important cause of the general populatio n.