Determinants of plasma total homocysteine concentration in the Framingham Offspring cohort.
BACKGROUND
Established determinants of fasting total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration include folate and vitamin B-12 status, serum creatinine concentration, and renal function.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to examine the relation between known and suspected determinants of fasting plasma tHcy in a population-based cohort.


METHODS
We examined the relations between fasting plasma tHcy concentrations and nutritional and other health factors in 1960 men and women, aged 28-82 y, from the fifth examination cycle of the Framingham Offspring Study between 1991 and 1994, before the implementation of folic acid fortification.


RESULTS
Geometric mean tHcy was 11% higher in men than in women and 23% higher in persons aged > or = 65 y than in persons aged < 45 y (P < 0.001). tHcy was associated with plasma folate, vitamin B-12, and pyridoxal phosphate (P for trend < 0.001). Dietary folate, vitamin B-6, and riboflavin were associated with tHcy among non-supplement users (P for trend < 0.01). The tHcy concentrations of persons who used vitamin B supplements were 18% lower than those of persons who did not (P < 0.001). tHcy was positively associated with alcohol intake (P for trend = 0.004), caffeine intake (P for trend < 0.001), serum creatinine (P for trend < 0.001), number of cigarettes smoked (P for trend < 0.001), and antihypertensive medication use (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirmed, in a population-based setting, the importance of the known determinants of fasting tHcy and suggested that other dietary and lifestyle factors, including vitamin B-6, riboflavin, alcohol, and caffeine intakes as well as smoking and hypertension, influence circulating tHcy concentrations.
Jean Mayer-US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. paul@hnrc.tufts.edu
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PF
Jacques
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AG
Bostom
P W
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Wilson
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Rich
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Rosenberg
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Selhub
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000097:blood; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*
D006710:Homocysteine; D002110:Caffeine; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D005492:Folic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D011736:Pyridoxine; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012256:Riboflavin