Folic Acid and your arterys

[Power-Quest]

Folic Acid May Help Restore Artery Health

May 29
— NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who take folic acid may increase the chances that arteries will respond to the body's call for more oxygen-rich blood, a step that could reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke, according to the results of a small study.

Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B vitamin. Previous research has shown that folic acid helps reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with increased risk of stroke and heart disease.

While past studies have shown folate's ability to lower homocysteine levels over 8 weeks, lead author Dr. Kam S. Woo of Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong and colleagues wondered if the same effects would be seen over the course of a year.

To investigate, they gave 29 healthy men and women with high homocysteine levels a relatively high dose of folic acid daily for a year, and then measured their levels of folic acid and homocysteine, as well as their blood vessel function.

Folic acid supplements reduced homocysteine levels by 12% and increased folic acid levels by 69%, the researchers found. Also, function of the thin layer of cells that line the arteries--and allow these blood vessels to expand as needed--was improved, the authors report in the May issue of The American Journal of Medicine. Blood vessels need to be able to expand and supply blood to oxygen-starved tissue--such as heart muscle-on demand.

What's more, because high levels of homocysteine may increase the risk of atherosclerosis, or artery clogging, the study suggests that folic acid may help keep arteries clear.

"These results demonstrate that long-term folic acid improves (artery function) and has potential implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis in adults with (high levels of homocysteine)," Woo's team concludes.

Fruit and vegetables contain folic acid. The US government recently mandated that food manufacturers fortify grain products with folic acid, adding 140 micrograms to every 100 grams of flour, rice, pasta and cornmeal.

SOURCE: The American Journal of Medicine 2002;112:535-539.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Living/r...020529_464.html

[MiloMan]

A test group of only 29 people? No wonder they say "may", rather that "will" or "does" (nothing like being noncomittal). I postilate that eating dirt "may" do the same thing. Any more details on this abbreviated study?

[Lynne]

Originally posted by MiloMan
A test group of only 29 people? No wonder they say "may", rather that "will" or "does" (nothing like being noncomittal). I postilate that eating dirt "may" do the same thing. Any more details on this abbreviated study?

Milo, you bring up some good points (other than postulating about eating dirt ). The latest "health" books recommend taking folic acid to reduce homocysteine levels. Now, I'm curious as to what studies have been done. Were they cohort studies or what? Could be like the Vitamin E thing. No one knows whether Vitamin E supplements really improve heart health or not. Seems more of a fad than anything. I eat my walnuts everyday to get a natural source of vitamin E and hopefully lower my lipids even more as well as maybe keeping the endolethium more supple and clear.

[Lynne]

As part of a Harvard study, folic acid was administered to 80,000 nurses. Of those who took the most folic acid, 31% were less likely to have coronary artery disease. I got that information form How to Win the Cholesterol War by Holly McCord, published by Prevention/Rodale.

[~*IronBelle*~]

This is really useful information for me because homocysteine levels are high for me when I am having an endometriosis attack. So I am assuming that it would help me a great deal by taking folic acid every day. My multi only has 150mcg in and you can take much higher, so I think I'll put that on my shopping list this week. As an aside, vitamin C and bioflavanoids also help to reduce formations of arterial plaque also. It also works to strengthen the artery walls.

[~*IronBelle*~]

I meant to say that homocysteine levels are high in some people just after an operation and that along with fibrinogen levels being very high is what increases the formation of scar tissue and adhesions internally if you have had surgery to organs etc. Thats one of the reasons why some folks have adhesion problems and some don't from what I can gather. The ones that don't I suspect have very good circulation--such as folks with blood type O and I am assuming that those folks recover well and heal much more quickly after surgery.

They are saying now that to avoid scar tissue formation and assist healing or reduce the possibility of internal adhesions after any op (abdominal) that you should step up anti inflammatory use immediately after the op as it keeps inflammation down. I also read that bromelain taken three days pre op and up to a week post op can significantly reduce fibrinogen levels and keep homocysteine levels down. Fibrinogen is the stuff that fibrin strands are formed from--which is the building blocks used to form adhesive tissue. Say you've had an op to remove appendix or repair an hernia and they cut tissue interally. Fibrin strands can develop and attach themselves to the nearest organ and this means that organ does not move as freely as it did before the op. Sometimes you may have a tight pulling feeling around the site of the op after when you move or stretch and tha is the adhesion pulling. Basically they found that the homocysteine levels were ALSO very high in people post operatively and this coupled with higher fibrinogen levels increases that formation of adhesion at the site. So it pays to keep those levels down by taking high doses of something like bromelain which has been found in studies to be more effective post op than anti inflammatories in keeping fibrinogen levels down and also quercetin, which is also anti inflammatory. Something like bromelain (protease enzyme) actually dissolves arterial plaque and dead tissue internally. It works right from the gut and increases digestive ability also. Speeds healing at blood level due to its ability to speed blood circulation up and act as an anti inflammatory. I use it whenever I have my monthly now and I don't have the endo attacks.

From my study of it it acts as a type of chelation treatment and can reduce arterial plaque and any other dead tissue in the body such as scar tissue and adhesions--anything that has been formed from fibrinogen. I think that coupled with folic acid and vitamin C that would help many people to improve their health in many ways.