Having an adequate intake of B vitamins may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Research appearing in the Italian Heart Journal Supplement (2005; 6(1):1–16) shows an inverse correlation between atherosclerosis and deficiencies of certain B vitamins, most notably folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6. These vitamins are necessary to convert homocysteine to cysteine and taurine.
Homocysteine is a potentially toxic amino acid that has been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is formed from methionine, but it does not pose a problem when the body has sufficient B vitamins to convert it into cysteine or taurine—amino acids that serve useful functions in the body.
A study published in the November 26, 2006 issue of the British Medical Journal reported that evidence from cohort studies, genetic studies, and randomized controlled trials is strong enough to support the idea that folic acid may help protect against heart disease. Again, the benefit appears to be related to lowering homocysteine levels, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. While the authors described the effect as modest and noted that additional studies are needed, they also pointed out that folic acid is inexpensive and generally harmless.
