title: Low-dose B vitamins supplementation ameliorates cardiovascular risk: a double-blind randomized controlled trial in healthy Chinese elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether daily supplementation with low-dose B vitamins in the healthy elderly population improves the Framingham risk score (FRS), a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2007 and 2012, a double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in a rural area of North China. In all, 390 healthy participants aged 60-74 were randomly allocated to receive daily vitamin C (50 mg; control group) or vitamin C plus B vitamins (400 µg folic acid, 2 mg B6, and 10 µg B12; treatment group) for 12 months. FRSs were calculated for all 390 subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Folate and vitamin B12 plasma concentrations in the treatment group increased by 253 and 80%, respectively, after 6 months, stopped increasing with continued supplementation after 12 months and returned to baseline levels 6 months after supplementation cessation. Compared with the control group, there was no significant effect of B vitamin supplementation on FRSs after 6 months (mean difference -0.38; 95% CI -1.06, 0.31; p = 0.279), whereas a significant effect of supplementation was evident after 12 months (reduced magnitude 7.6%; -0.77; 95% CI -1.47, -0.06; p = 0.033). However, this reduction disappeared 6 months after supplementation stopped (-0.07; 95% CI -0.80, 0.66; p = 0.855). The reduction in FRS 12 months after supplementation was more pronounced in individuals with a folate deficiency (10.4%; -1.30; 95% CI -2.54, -0.07; p = 0.039) than in those without (4.1%; -0.38; 95% CI -1.12, 0.36; p = 0.313). B vitamins increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 3.4% after 6 months (0.04; 95% CI -0.02, 0.10; p = 0.155) and by 9.2% after 12 months (0.11; 95 % CI 0.04, 0.18; p = 0.003). Compared with the control group, this change in magnitude decreased to 3.3% (0.04; 95 % CI -0.02, 0.10; p = 0.194) 6 months after supplementation cessation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily supplementation with a low-dose of B vitamins for 12 months reduced FRS, particularly in healthy elderly subjects with a folate deficiency. These reduced effects declined after supplementation cessation, indicating a need for persistent supplementation to maintain the associated benefits.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongtian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002681:China; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12