Unlike other similar reports that failed to find a significant effect of vitamin B supplementation on stroke risk, an updated meta-analysis has shown that taking these vitamins to lower homocysteine levels significantly reduces the stroke rate.
Folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 are important regulators of homocysteine metabolism. In several jurisdictions, cereals are fortified with folate. Folic acid is a supplemental form of folate.
Several biological factors may affect whether vitamin B supplements will affect stroke risk, the study showed.
"Based on our results, the ability of vitamin B to reduce stroke risk may be influenced by a number of other factors, such as the body's absorption rate, the amount of folic acid or vitamin B12 concentration in the blood, and whether a person has kidney disease or high blood pressure," said Yuming Xu, MD, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China, in a press release.
The study is published online September 18 in Neurology.
Updated Analysis
Researchers searched for randomized controlled trials published before August 2012 that compared vitamin B supplementation with placebo, very-low-dose B vitamins, or usual care; had a minimum follow-up of 6 months; and included stroke events as a study endpoint.
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