Vitamin-Fortified Water May Reduce Homocysteine Levels 36420

Vitamin-Fortified Water May Reduce Homocysteine Levels

KUOPIO, Finland--Consumption of vitamin and mineral-fortified waterwas seen to reduce homocyesteine levels, a known risk factor for cardiovasculardisease, according to a study published in the European Journal of ClinicalNutrition (58, 2:376-85, 2004) (www.nature.com/ejcn).

After a two-week run-in period, 60 subjects drank either water containingfolic acid (563 mcg/d), calcium (563 mg/d) and vitamins B6 (1 mg/d), B12 (7.5mcg/d) and D (0.6 mcg/d), or placebo. After eight weeks of supplementation,plasma homocysteine levels decreased by 1.6 micromol/L and serum folateconcentration increased by an average of 16.1 nmol/L in subjects consuming thefortified water. Researchers also noted the calcium used in the fortified waterwas bioavailable, based on individuals calcium levels and bone metabolism.