title: Effect of Folic Acid, Betaine, Vitamin B₆, and Vitamin B12 on Homocysteine and Dimethylglycine Levels in Middle-Aged Men Drinking White Wine.
abstract: Moderate regular consumption of alcoholic beverages is believed to protect against atherosclerosis but can also increase homocysteine or dimethylglycine, which are putative risk factors for atherosclerosis. We aimed (1) to investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on vitamins and several metabolites involved in one-carbon metabolism; and (2) to find the most effective way of decreasing homocysteine during moderate alcohol consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male volunteers (n = 117) were randomly divided into five groups: the wine-only group (control, 375 mL of white wine daily for one month) and four groups combining wine consumption with one of the supplemented substances (folic acid, betaine, and vitamins B12 or B₆). Significant lowering of homocysteine concentration after the drinking period was found in subjects with concurrent folate and betaine supplementation. Vitamin B12 and vitamin B₆ supplementation did not lead to a statistically significant change in homocysteine. According to a multiple linear regression model, the homocysteine change in the wine-only group was mainly determined by the interaction between the higher baseline homocysteine concentration and the change in dimethylglycine levels. Folate and betaine can attenuate possible adverse effects of moderate alcohol consumption. Dimethylglycine should be interpreted together with data on alcohol consumption and homocysteine concentration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Medical School and Faculty of Teaching Hospital, Charles University, 30460 Pilsen, Czech Republic. rajdl@fnplzen.cz.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rajdl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Medical School and Faculty of Teaching Hospital, Charles University, 30460 Pilsen, Czech Republic. racek@fnplzen.cz.|Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Alej Svobody 76, 32300 Pilsen, Czech Republic. racek@fnplzen.cz.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Racek
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Medical School and Faculty of Teaching Hospital, Charles University, 30460 Pilsen, Czech Republic. trefil@fnplzen.cz.
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trefil
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Medical School and Faculty of Teaching Hospital, Charles University, 30460 Pilsen, Czech Republic. stehlikp@fnplzen.cz.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stehlik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 30166 Pilsen, Czech Republic. jana.dobra@lfp.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobra
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 30166 Pilsen, Czech Republic. vaclav.babuska@lfp.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Babuska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012521:Sarcosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014920:Wine / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; C025138:dimethylglycine; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012521:Sarcosine
keywords: B-vitamins; betaine; dimethylglycine; homocysteine; moderate alcohol consumption