Folic acid and vitamin B reduces risk of heart disease

New Delhi: Adequate folic acid and vitamin B intake could help reduce vascular disease risk in Indian patients, a study released here said on Friday.

Conducted by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Jamia Millia Islamia, the study said foods containing vitamin B, like potato, greens, beans and fish and animal products, should be consumed regularly.

“Plasma homocysteine concentrations, responsible for plaque formation that lead to blockage of arteries have a negative relation with vitamin B12 levels in patients with stroke and deep vein thrombosis and with folate levels in patients with coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease,” said the study.

Seema Bhargava, lead author of the study and senior consultant, Department of Biochemistry, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “Large-scale corrective measures like food fortification or dietary supplementation with folate and B-12 might benefit the Indian population and reduce the incidence and morbidity of vascular disease.”

“It would be pertinent to suggest that scientists, clinicians and policy-makers in our country should further evaluate the relevance of food fortification with folate and vitamin B12 so as to correct nutritional deficiencies as well as reduce risk for vascular disease — the double benefit for the double burden of disease in the developing countries.”

Rajasthan was the first state in the country to launch a food fortification programme in February, said the study.

IANS