Folic Acid and B12 Linked to healthy Bones in Japanese study

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Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Linked to Healthy Bones in Japanese Study

Breaking News 3/4/05

VRP Staff

 

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Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements reduce the risk of hip

fractures in elderly Japanese patients following a stroke,

researchers report in a new study in the Journal of the American

Medical Association(JAMA).

 

Stroke increases the risk of subsequent hip fracture by 2 to 4 times.

In addition, high levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine are a

risk factor for both stroke and osteoporosis fractures in elderly men

and women. Past studies have indicated that folic acid and

mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) supplements may lower high homocysteine

levels. Consequently, researchers in the current study set out to

investigate whether treatment with folate and vitamin B12 reduces the

incidence of hip fractures in stroke patients who suffered from

paralysis of only one side of the body (hemiplegia) at least one year

following a first stroke.

 

Researchers conducting the double-blind, randomized, controlled

trial, which included 559 patients aged 65 years or older, recruited

the subjects from a single Japanese hospital from April 1, 2000, to

May 31, 2001. Patients were assigned to daily oral treatment with 5

mg of folate and 1,500 µg of Vitamin B12 (mecobalamin) or to two

placebo pills. The study authors then noted the incidence of hip

fractures in the two patient groups during the two-year follow-up.

 

At the study's start, patients in both groups had high levels of

plasma homocysteine and low levels of serum Vitamin B12 and serum

folate. After 2 years, plasma homocysteine levels decreased by 38

percent in subjects taking the B vitamins. In the placebo group, on

the other hand, homocysteine levels increased by 31 percent. In

addition, there were only 10 hip fractures per 1,000 patient-years in

the B vitamin group compared to 43 for the placebo group. No

significant adverse effects were reported.

 

The researchers concluded, " In this Japanese population with a high

baseline fracture risk, combined treatment with folate and vitamin

B12 is safe and effective in reducing the risk of a hip fracture in

elderly patients following stroke. "

 

Reference:

Sato Y, Honda Y, Iwamoto J, Kanoko T, Satoh K. Effect of Folate and

Mecobalamin on Hip Fractures in Patients With Stroke. A Randomized

Controlled Trial. JAMA. 2005;293(9):1082-1088.