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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166106
Title: BREAKFAST CEREAL FORTIFIED WITH FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B6 AND VITAMIN B12 INCREASES VITAMIN CONCENTRATIONS AND REDUCES HOMOCYSTEINE CONCENTRATIONS

Author
item TUCKER, KATHERINE - TUFTS-HNRCA
item OLSON, BETH - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item BAKUN, PETER - TUFTS-HNRCA
item DALLAL, GERARD - TUFTS-HNRCA
item SELHUB, JACOB - TUFTS-HNRCA
item ROSENBERG, IRWIN - TUFTS-HNRCA

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/19/2003
Publication Date: 5/1/2004
Citation: Tucker, K.L., Olson, B., Bakun, P., Dallal, G.E., Selhub, J., Rosenberg, I.H. 2004. Breakfast cereal fortified with folic acid, vitamin b6 and vitamin b12 increases vitamin concentrations and reduces homocysteine concentrations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 79:805-811.

Interpretive Summary: High homocysteine and low folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 blood levels are relatively common in older adults and have been linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia. We assessed the effect of breakfast cereal fortified with folic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 on vitamin and homocysteine blood levels in 189 volunteers aged 50-85 years old. The subjects had no history of hypertension, anemia, asthma, cancer, or cardiovascular or digestive disease and did not regularly consume multiple or B vitamin supplements or highly fortified breakfast cereal. Subjects were randomly assigned to consume 1 cup breakfast cereal fortified with 440 micrograms folic acid, 1.8 mg vitamin B-6, and 4.8 micrograms vitamin B-12 or placebo cereal with no added vitamins for 12 weeks. Blood was drawn at 0, 2, 12, and 14 weeks. At the conclusion of the study, blood homocysteine concentrations were significantly lower and B vitamin concentrations were significantly higher in the group fed the fortified cereal than in the placebo group. The percentage of subjects with low plasma folate concentrations decreased from 2% to 0%, with vitamin low B-12 concentrations from 9% to 3%, with low vitamin B-6 concentrations from 6% to 2%, and with high homocysteine concentrations from 6.4% to 1.6%. The subjects in the placebo group remained nearly constant or increased. In this relatively healthy group of volunteers, consumption of 1 cup fortified breakfast cereal daily significantly increased B vitamin and decreased homocysteine blood concentrations, potentially lowering their risk of certain chronic diseases.

Technical Abstract: High homocysteine and low B vitamin concentrations have been linked to the risk of vascular disease, stroke, and dementia and are relatively common in older adults. We assessed the effect of breakfast cereal fortified with folic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 on vitamin and homocysteine status. A randomized, double-blind trial was conducted in 189 volunteers aged 50-85 y. The subjects had no history of hypertension, anemia, asthma, cancer, or cardiovascular or digestive disease and did not regularly consume multiple or B vitamin supplements or highly fortified breakfast cereal. Subjects were randomly assigned to consume 1 cup (0.24 L) breakfast cereal fortified with 440 microg folic acid, 1.8 mg vitamin B-6, and 4.8 microg vitamin B-12 or placebo cereal for 12 wk. Blood was drawn at 0, 2, 12, and 14 wk. Methionine-loading tests were conducted at baseline and week 14. Final baseline-adjusted plasma homocysteine concentrations were significantly lower and B vitamin concentrations were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the placebo group (P < 0.001). The percentage of subjects with plasma folate concentrations < 11 nmol/L decreased from 2% to 0%, with vitamin B-12 concentrations < 185 pmol/L from 9% to 3%, with vitamin B-6 concentrations < 20 nmol/L from 6% to 2%, and with homocysteine concentrations > 10.4 micromol/L (women) or > 11.4 micromol/L (men) from 6.4% to 1.6%. The percentage of control subjects with values beyond these cutoff points remained nearly constant or increased. In this relatively healthy group of volunteers, consumption of 1 cup fortified breakfast cereal daily significantly increased B vitamin and decreased homocysteine concentrations, including post-methionine-load homocysteine concentrations.