TY - JOUR
T1 - Suppression of homocysteine levels by vitamin B12 and folates
T2 - Age and gender dependency in the Jackson heart study
AU - Henry, Olivia R.
AU - Benghuzzi, Hamed
AU - Taylor, Herman A.
AU - Tucci, Michelle
AU - Butler, Kenneth
AU - Jones, Lynne
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - Introduction: To examine factors potentially contributing to premature cardiovascular disease mortality in African Americans (40% versus 20% all other populations), plasma homocysteine, serum vitamin B12 and folate levels were examined for African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study. Methods: Of 5192 African American Jackson Heart Study participants (21-94 years), 5064 (mean age, 55 ± 13 years; 63% female) had homocysteine levels measured via fasting blood samples, with further assessments of participants' vitamin B12 (n = 1790) and folate (n = 1788) levels. Regression analyses were used to examine age, gender, vitamin B12 and folate with homocysteine levels. Results: Homocysteine levels, a purported surrogate risk factor for cardiovascular disease, increased with age, were inversely proportional to folate and vitamin B12 levels (P < 0.001) and were higher for men of all ages. Conclusions:The results show that, as with other populations, age, gender, vitamin B12 and folate may predict homocysteine levels for African Americans. Diet may be an important predictive factor as well, given the relationships that were observed between plasma homocysteine and serum B vitamin levels.
AB - Introduction: To examine factors potentially contributing to premature cardiovascular disease mortality in African Americans (40% versus 20% all other populations), plasma homocysteine, serum vitamin B12 and folate levels were examined for African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study. Methods: Of 5192 African American Jackson Heart Study participants (21-94 years), 5064 (mean age, 55 ± 13 years; 63% female) had homocysteine levels measured via fasting blood samples, with further assessments of participants' vitamin B12 (n = 1790) and folate (n = 1788) levels. Regression analyses were used to examine age, gender, vitamin B12 and folate with homocysteine levels. Results: Homocysteine levels, a purported surrogate risk factor for cardiovascular disease, increased with age, were inversely proportional to folate and vitamin B12 levels (P < 0.001) and were higher for men of all ages. Conclusions:The results show that, as with other populations, age, gender, vitamin B12 and folate may predict homocysteine levels for African Americans. Diet may be an important predictive factor as well, given the relationships that were observed between plasma homocysteine and serum B vitamin levels.
KW - African Americans
KW - Folic acid
KW - Homocysteine
KW - Jackson heart study
KW - Vitamin B12
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U2 - 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e31823782a5
DO - 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e31823782a5
M3 - Article
C2 - 22173042
AN - SCOPUS:84864331969
SN - 0002-9629
VL - 344
SP - 110
EP - 115
JO - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
JF - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
IS - 2
ER -