Homocysteine is an amino acid, which can over time accumulate with other substances like calcium in the blood and form plaque. This can cause arterosclerosis and the development of heart disease.
The complex chemical formula: C4H9NO2S denotes homocysteines. Simply put, there are three B vitamins which can reduce homocysteine levels in the blood thus preventing cardiovascular damage. These are vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid.

The possibility that folic acid might be linked to heart health has been asserted since 1969. It was only that recently when Dr. Kilmer McCully suggested that elevated homocysteine levels were present in patients with various fatal cardiovascular diseases. His observations were based on his work as a pathologist. He had seen fatal cardiovascular cases caused by defects in young people. From this correlation between homocysteines and arteriosclerosis came the research to find the cause of the homocysteine.

Now, 37 years after Dr. McCully’s observation, there are many studies which support the link between lower homocysteine levels and proper intake of B vitamins. There is speculation now, though not yet substantiated that there may also be a relationship between homocysteines and neuro tube birth defects(NTD). It may if fact be that there is a further relationship between homocysteine levels and Alzheimer’s disease.

Study of folic acid is still relatively new, as is the body of knowledge about micronutrients in general. There was not any identification of this vitamin at all until the 1930’s. This B vitamin is also called folate and vitamin B9.

Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin and these are very rarely toxic. Intake of fat soluble vitamin needs more careful adherence to recommended dietary intake levels because of the fact that excessive amounts of these are stored in the body. Conversely, water soluble vitamins are used very soon after the intake of them and any excessive dosages are normally excreted within a few days in the urine.

Regardless of the mechanism involved, it is now known that B vitamins are needed by the human body which cannot synthesize them.

Adults over the age of 19 need to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Pregnant women need to take 600 mcg while lactating women need 500 mcg of folic acid intake per day.

In 1998 it became mandatory for folic acid to fortify all grain products in the United States. Other countries have followed the U.S. lead and still others are considering doing so. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has reported about a 25% reduction in the incidence of NTD’s since the 1998 regulation was passed. It will be interesting to see if future studies can report similar reductions in heart disease because of the required fortification which adds about 100mcg per day to the average American’s diet.

Generally speaking supplements of folic acid have better bioavailability than many of the folates found in foods so eating fortified grains may be the best source of folates. Since folate has less bioavailability than folic acid a term--dietary folic equivalent (DFE)--is often used to express the amount of folates in various foods.


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