title: Homocysteine, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and habitual diet in the French Supplementation with Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration seems to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the determinants of tHcy in healthy French adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  tHcy was measured by HPLC and fluorometric detection in 1139 women and 931 men aged 35-60 y. Subjects were participants of the Supplementation with Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals Study, which investigates the effects of antioxidant supplementation on chronic diseases. Red blood cell folate (RBCF), plasma vitamins B-6 and B-12, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were also measured. The habitual diet was assessed in 616 subjects. Cross-sectional analyses were adjusted for age, smoking, energy intake, and concentration or intake of folate and vitamin B-6, where appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (+/-SD) tHcy concentration was 8.74 +/- 2.71 micro mol/L in women and 10.82 +/- 3.49 micro mol/L in men. In women, tHcy was positively related to age (P = 0.001), apolipoprotein B (P < 0.01), serum triacylglycerol (P < 0.01), fasting glucose (P = 0.02), and coffee and alcohol consumption (both P < 0.01) and inversely related to RBCF (P = 0.11) and plasma vitamin B-12 (P = 0.08) and vitamin B-6 (P = 0.01) intakes. In men, tHcy was positively associated with body mass index (P = 0.03), blood pressure (P < 0.02), serum triacylglycerol (P < 0.01), fasting glucose (P = 0.01), and energy intake (P < 0.01) and inversely associated with physical activity (P = 0.04), RCBF (P = 0.02), plasma vitamin B-12 (P = 0.09), and dietary fiber (P < 0.01), folate (P = 0.03), and vitamin B-6 (P = 0.09) intakes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To control tHcy, decreasing coffee and alcohol consumption may be important in women, whereas increasing physical activity, dietary fiber, and folate intake may be important in men.
authors.affiliation: UMR INSERM unit 557/INRA unit 1125, Institut Scientifique et Technique de la Nutrition et de l'Alimentation, ISTNA, Paris, France. s_mennen@vcnam.cnam.fr
authors.forename: Louise I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Mennen
authors.forename: Geneviève Potier
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: de Courcy
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Guilland
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ducros
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertrais
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurel
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarebska
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favier
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franchisseur
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003069:Coffee; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D015444:Exercise; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005602:France; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003069:Coffee; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008903:Minerals; D014280:Triglycerides; D014815:Vitamins; D006710:Homocysteine; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12