title: Folic acid supplementation improves vascular function in professional dancers with endothelial dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if folic acid supplementation improves vascular function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) in professional dancers with known endothelial dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic institution in the Midwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two professional ballet dancers volunteered for this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects completed a 3-day food record to determine caloric and micronutrient intake. Menstrual status was determined by interview and questionnaire. Endothelial function was determined as flow-induced vasodilation measured by high-frequency ultrasound of the brachial artery. A change in brachial diameter of <5% to hyperemic flow stimulus was defined a priori as endothelial dysfunction. Subjects with abnormal FMD took 10 mg of folic acid daily for 4 weeks, and FMD testing was then repeated. Serum whole blood was measured for folic acid levels before and after supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four percent of dancers (n = 14) had abnormal brachial artery FMD (<5%) (mean ± standard deviation, 2.9% ± 1.5%). After 4 weeks of folic acid supplementation (10 mg/day), FMD improved in all the subjects (7.1% ± 2.3%; P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals that vascular endothelial function improves in dancers after supplementation with folic acid (10 mg/day) for at least 4 weeks. This finding may have clinically important implications for future cardiovascular disease risk prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery/Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA. azeni@mcw.edu
authors.forename: Anne Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Hoch
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papanek
authors.forename: Aniko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Widlansky
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Gutterman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003615:Dancing; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid