Homocysteine lowering with folic acid and B vitamins in vascular disease

Researchers randomly gave 5,522 adults either folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12, or a placebo, an inactive pill. The participants already had vascular disease, problems affecting blood vessels, or diabetes. After about five years, the vitamin group had slightly fewer strokes, but there was no meaningful reduction in the overall risk of heart attacks, heart-related deaths, or other major heart problems. The vitamins lowered homocysteine, a blood substance linked with heart disease, but that did not lead to better overall heart health.

What this means for you: Taking these vitamins is unlikely to prevent most heart problems in people with vascular disease or diabetes. The possible stroke benefit needs to be weighed against the study’s overall null result, so this is not a strong reason to buy supplements for general heart protection.