Folate May Lower Stroke Risk

Source: Tufts University
June 20, 2002 (Reviewed: June 29, 2004)

If you are not yet familiar with folate, you should be. Recent studies suggest that this B vitamin - called 'folic acid' when it is added to foods - may help to prevent the blood vessel damage that leads to heart disease and some kinds of stroke. A study in a recent issue of the journal Stroke adds to what scientists know about the health benefits of a folate-rich diet.

The study

Researchers from Tulane University in Louisiana analyzed diet information collected on more than 9,000 adults as part of a large US health survey conducted in the early 1970s. They then kept track of these people over the next 19 years, noting the number who suffered a stroke during that time. The scientists were looking for a connection between the participants' intake of folate and subsequent risk of stroke in the following decades.

They found that people who consumed at least 300 micrograms of folate per day (75% of the current US recommended intake level) were about 20% less likely than those who consumed less than half that amount to suffer a stroke as they got older.

What's the connection?

The protective power of folate seems to be tied to its ability to lower blood levels of homocysteine, a by-product of protein metabolism. High blood levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Adding extra folate to the diet seems to help keep homocysteine levels in check.

Advice to consumers

The authors of this study point that out making your diet 'heart healthy' takes more than just the addition of extra folate. The people in this study who consumed the most folate tended to have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels as well. They were also less likely than others in the study to be overweight and more likely to get regular exercise - all factors that helped them stay healthy as they got older.

A folate-rich diet is only one piece of the solution, but it is a fairly easy one to implement. US-produced grain foods - bread, cereal, rice, and pasta - are now fortified with folic acid. Health officials estimate that this step has added an average of 95 micrograms of folic acid to the diets of middle-aged and older adults, and that may be enough to lower their risk of stroke by 12% over the next twenty years.

Where to get your folate

If you eat cereal in the morning, check the nutrition label on the side of the box, and choose one that provides the recommended intake of 400 micrograms. (In the United States it's listed on the label as 'folic acid.') Plan meals to include some foods that are naturally good sources of folate, including green leafy vegetables, orange juice, beans, and wheat germ. If you think your diet comes up short, a multivitamin can help close the gap.

Source

• Dietary intake of folate and risk of stroke in US men and women. L. Bazzano, J. He, L. Ogden,  et al., Stroke, 2002, vol. 33, pp. 1183--1189

Related Links
Folate Part of a Heart Healthy Diet
Make Beans Part of Your Heart Healthy Diet
Oxidative Damage, Part IV: Does Your Multivitamin Protect You?
How to Eat if You Have Cardiovascular Disease
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