B vitamins

Indication: Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

Source: J Nutr, September 2003;133:2863-2867.

Research: PAD causes morbidity and is associated with mortality. B vitamin intake has been inversely associated with coronary heart disease, but the effects on PAD are not known. Re­searchers examined prospectively the relationships between dietary folate, vitamin B6 and B12 and PAD risk in 51,529 male U.S. health professionals aged 40 to 75 years old, who answered a detailed 131-item questionnaire to as­sess diet and vitamin supplement use. The study population consisted of 46,036 men free of PAD, cardiovascular disease and diabetes at baseline.

Results: The participants were followed up for 12 years during which re­searchers documented 308 incident PAD cases. For every 400 µg per day increment of folate intake, the multivariate adjusted PAD risk decreased by 21%. Men in the top category of folate intake (median = 840 µg) were at 33% lower risk of PAD than men in the bottom category (median = 244 µg) after multivariate adjustment. There were weak inverse associations between intake of vitamin B6 and PAD risk and B12. According to researchers, the study results suggest that higher consumption of folate may contribute to the prevention of PAD.