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Koen — June 5, 2007 / 11:31 pm
Lancet (vol 369, p 1876) mentioned that folic acid supplements can reduce the risk of stroke by 30%. An increase in folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency which can be dangerous in the elderly.
The studies, in which people aged around 60 received either placebo pills or daily folic acid supplements, followed participants for between two to six years. Those taking supplements in the trials received between 0.5 and 15 mg. Health officials in the US recommend a daily intake of at least 0.4 mg of folic acid - about the amount in a bowl of fortified cereal.
The analysis revealed that taking any amount of folic acid lowered the risk of stroke by 18%. Another analysis looking specifically at the effect in countries that do not fortify grain with folic acid, such as Norway, China and Italy, found a 25% drop in stroke among those taking the supplement. When the analysis was focused on a subgroup of those who took the supplements for at least three years, it is found that folic acid reduced the risk of stroke by almost 30%.
Unexpectedly, those who received the smallest dose of folic acid benefited just as much as those who received the largest amounts. How folic acid protects against stroke remains unclear. It is known that the vitamin helps the body excrete homocysteine, a by-product of protein breakdown that effects small blood vessels, and which has been linked to heart disease and dementia.
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