Epidemiologic correlates of serum folate and homocysteine levels among users and non-users of vitamin supplement

Lower serum folate and higher serum homocysteine levels are known risk fact ors for various conditions. Thus, epidemiologic correlates with these measu rements were studied for 256 multivitamin users and 230 non-users who were middle-aged women. Both serum folate and homocysteine levels increased with advancing age in both multivitamin users (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01) and non-u sers (P = 0.08 and P < 0.01). Among non-users, higher intake of vegetables, fruits, cold cereals and total protein were associated positively with ser um folate and inversely with homocysteine levels. There were 25-74% increas es in serum folate and 10-15% decreases in serum homocysteine between 1st a nd 4th quartiles of intake of these food/nutrients. In addition, 26% lower serum folage and 18% higher serum homocysteine were observed for those smok ing 20 or more cigarettes per day compared with non-smokers. Among multivit amin users, body weight was correlated inversely with serum folate (P < 0.0 1) and positively with serum homocysteine levels (P = 0.04), while no corre lates were found among lifestyle factors. Regular use of multivitamins incr eased serum folate about fourfold and decreased homocysteine twofold. These results suggest that multivitamin use can offset the effects of an unhealt hy lifestyle on these serum markers, and that levels of serum folate and ho mocysteine can also be favorably influenced by healthier diet and abstinenc e from smoking.