Changes in predictors and status of homocysteine in young male adults after a dietary intervention with vegetables, fruits and bread.
BACKGROUND
Elevated plasma total homocysteine (p-tHcy) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and an inverse association has been shown between the dietary intake of B-vitamins, B-vitamin profile and the concentration of p-tHcy.


OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this investigation was to study the effect of a dietary intervention focusing on an increased intake of vegetables, fruits and bread. The effect of the dietary intervention was determined by the changes in plasma concentrations of tHcy, cysteine (cys), riboflavin, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B(12).


METHODS
An intervention study with duration of 5 months, including 541 male recruits from the Norwegian National Guard, Vaernes and a control group, including 209 male recruits from the Norwegian Army, Heggelia.


RESULTS
The dietary intervention resulted in decreased concentration of p-tHcy (-10%, P = 0.002), p-cys (-6%, P < 0.001) and FMN (-11%, P = 0.310) and increased concentration of riboflavin (+23%, P < 0.001) and FAD (+10%, P = 0.008) in the intervention group compared with the control group. The change in p-tHcy concentration was positively related to the change in the concentration of p-cys (P < 0.001) and FMN (P = 0.035) and inversely related to the change in concentration of folate (P = 0.021).


CONCLUSIONS
A dietary intervention program focusing on an increased intake of vegetables, fruits and bread showed a favourable effect on the concentration of p-tHcy and its metabolites. Our findings suggest that the changes in the concentration of p-cys, folate and FMN seem to be predictors of changes in the p-tHcy concentration.
Norwegian School of Hotel Management, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway. tonje.h.stea@uis.no
Tonje Holte
TH
Stea
Mohammad Azam
MA
Mansoor
Margareta
M
Wandel
Solveig
S
Uglem
Wenche
W
Frølich
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001939:Bread; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D005638:Fruit; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014675:Vegetables; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*
D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012256:Riboflavin