Folic acid and plasma homocysteine in elderly
Folic acid seems to be one of the few exceptions when it comes to natural food vs supplement source. I almost invariably recommend food sources for nutrients, but folic acid levels in the literature that are high enough to have the best possible therapeutic effect can only be achieved with supplementation. This may be a factor of genetics; recall from previous Updates that about 25% of the population has a defect in the MHTFR gene and requires high levels of folic acid to produce the active form. As a side note, is it not ironic how researchers have long accepted the fact that folic acid, Vit B12 and Vit B6 can lower heart disease and are moving on to the specifics of this effect, and yet clinicians and patients are blissfully unaware that the relationship exists??
QJMed — Abstracts: Rydlewicz et al. 95 (1): 27