Researcher investigates link between folic acid and heart health, anemia
March 23, 2009(PhysOrg.com) -- A Georgia State University researcher and his colleague are investigating the effects of a decade-long requirement to fortify all cereals in the United States with folic acid, and its link with a chemical believed to play a role in cardiovascular disease.
Vijay Ganji, associate professor of nutrition in Georgia State’s College of Health and Human Sciences, and Mohammad R. Kafai, of San Francisco State University, investigated multiple factors involved in the levels of the nutrient folic acid and homocysteine — for which studies suggest a link to increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
The report is one of the first examining factors such as gender, race, blood pressure, and levels of certain chemicals in the blood during the post-fortification period. Ganji and Kafai examined the data from the National Center for Health Statistics’ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004.
Since 1998, all processed cereals in the United States have been fortified with folic acid in an effort to help prevent neural tube defects — a type of birth defect that can lead to neurological diseases such as spina bifida, a defect resulting in an incomplete spinal cord.
Folic acid fortification has reduced the risk of neural tube defects by up to 20 percent in the United States, and by higher levels in Canada, which started fortification at about at the same time, Ganji explained.
But an unintended effect of fortification is the reduction of homocysteine — a chemical which studies suggest increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, decreased cognitive function and bone mineral density. Fortification has helped reduce homocysteine levels in the population.
Not everyone needs high levels of folic acid. The intended target for fortification is women who are pregnant or are of child-bearing age, and not necessarily men, children or the elderly.
In the study, Ganji and Kafai found an association between homocysteine levels and serum methylmalonic acid, or MMA — which can indicate vitamin B12 deficiency, a factor in certain types of anemia.
“MMA and vitamin B12 are both coming out to be a strong predictor of homocysteine,” Ganji said. “What might be happening is the worsening of B12 deficiency symptoms.”
The paradox is that folic acid fortification has had the unintended effect of reducing the risk for anemia. It is possible that certain B12 deficiency symptoms may be masked.
“When you give folic acid to someone with B12 deficiency, the anemia coming from the lack of B12 might be cured and patient does not feel tired due to lack of anemia, hence less likely to see the physician, but the neurological symptoms of the deficiency may be worsened,” Ganji explained.
Still, the enormous benefits of folic acid fortification cannot be discounted.
“It has been positive so far, and has resulted in significant reductions in neural tube defects, as well as homocysteine,” Ganji said. "We must have an ongoing public policy evaluation, though, to see if there are any trends or changes among the population.
-
Vitamin B-12 function may be diminished by excessive folate
Dec 18, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Folic acid linked to increased cancer rate
Nov 02, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Use folic acid to cut heart disease, say experts
Nov 27, 2006 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Folic acid, B vitamins do not appear to affect cancer risk
Nov 04, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Folate and B12 may influence cognition in seniors
Feb 09, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Fast photon control brings quantum photonic technologies closer
1 hour ago |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
-
Engineers build first sub-10-nm carbon nanotube transistor
Feb 01, 2012 |
4.9 / 5 (33) |
30
-
Something old, something new: Evolution and the structural divergence of duplicate genes
Jan 31, 2012 |
4.6 / 5 (7) |
1
-
The hidden nanoworld of ice crystals: Revealing the dynamic behavior of quasi-liquid layers
Jan 30, 2012 |
5 / 5 (5) |
1
-
Stock market network reveals investor clustering
Jan 27, 2012 |
3.9 / 5 (23) |
8
-
Is Everyday Technology Killing Us?
Feb 08, 2012
-
Exercise and weight loss
Feb 08, 2012
-
Why do we have head aches? Our brains can't feel anything.
Feb 07, 2012
-
"The end of diseases" by David Agus, interview from Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Feb 04, 2012
-
Oncolytic adenovirus
Feb 04, 2012
-
Nutrition label stuffs and diets
Feb 02, 2012
- More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences
More news stories
'It's not nutritious until it's eaten'
As part of her "Let's Move! Initiative," First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled a new web resource highlighting new changes in the Chefs Move to Schools, during a CMST gathering in Dallas, TX today. CMTS advocates ...
1 hour ago |
not rated yet |
0
New ability to regrow blood vessels holds promise for treatment of heart disease
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Texas at Austin researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs a research advancement that could have ...
1 hour ago |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
|
Motivation to exercise affects behavior
(Medical Xpress) -- For many people, the motivation to exercise fluctuates from week to week, and these fluctuations predict whether they will be physically active, according to researchers at Penn State. In an effort to ...
1 hour ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
New tumor suppressor gene identified
A recent study published in Clinical Cancer Research suggests that the protein hVps37A suppresses tumor growth in ovarian cancer. The work, which was funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, shows, for th ...
2 hours ago |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
0
Social psychologist: Lust makes you smarter and evidence that seven deadly sins are good for you
(Medical Xpress) -- Good news for lovers on Valentine’s Day - the seven deadly sins, including Lust, are good for you. University of Melbourne social psychologist Dr Simon Laham uses modern research to make a compelling ...
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
4 hours ago |
3.3 / 5 (3) |
0
Fast photon control brings quantum photonic technologies closer
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using photons instead of electrons to transmit information could lead to faster and more secure ways to communicate, among other advantages. Now a team of physicists has taken another step toward realizing ...
Planck mission steps closer to the cosmic blueprint
(PhysOrg.com) -- ESA's Planck mission has revealed that our Galaxy contains previously undiscovered islands of cold gas and a mysterious haze of microwaves. These results give scientists new treasure to mine ...
Slowing ocean current caused Earth to spin faster
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most people probably didn’t notice it, but back in 2009, the Earth spun around on its axis a tiny bit faster than usual, making for some slightly shorter days. It only happened for a ...
Independent group inspects Apple supplier
(AP) -- An independent group, the Fair Labor Association, has started auditing Apple Inc.'s Chinese supplier Foxconn after a request by Apple.
New European rocket lifts off on maiden flight
Europe on Monday successfully launched a new lightweight rocket carrying a test payload, culminating a more than 12-year quest to master the entire range of space launchers.
New molecule has potential to help treat genetic diseases and HIV
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemists at The University of Texas at Austin have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before ...
Mar 24, 2009
Rank: not rated yet
Simple solution that would eliminate this very rare occurrence would be to add a little B-12 with the folic acid in the range of 0.1 to 1%. The cost would be insignificant.
%u201CIt has been positive so far, and has resulted in significant reductions in neural tube defects, as well as homocysteine,%u201D Ganji said. "We must have an ongoing public policy evaluation, though, to see if there are any trends or changes among the population.
It seems that Dr. Ganji should do some literature searching. The work has been done. Or,... is he asking for money?