The Effect of Folic Acid on Atherosclerosis, Cognitive Performance and Hearing

Wageningen University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Age-Related Memory Disorder

Inflammation

Vascular Disease

Hearing Loss

Cognitive Decline

Atherosclerosis

Treatments

Behavioral: folic acid (0.8 mg)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT00110604

Pou.0224L

ZonMw 20010002

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine if folic acid supplementation can slow down atherosclerotic progression, age-related cognitive decline and age-related hearing loss.

Full description

Low levels of B vitamins, in particular folate, and high levels of plasma total homocysteine, have been associated with a variety of age-related diseases and disorders, including cardiovascular disease, dementia and hearing impairment. Extra folate, for example in the form of folic acid, is known to decrease the concentrations of plasma total homocysteine.

We examined whether 0.8 mg/d folic acid could slow down atherosclerotic progression and the above mentioned age-related processes.

Sex

All

Ages

50 to 70 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

50-70 years
Men and post-menopausal women
Women with a surgically removed uterus were required to be >=55 years

Exclusion criteria

Plasma total homocysteine <13 or >26 umol/L
Serum vitamin B12 <200 pmol/L
Self-reported current use of drugs which affect folate metabolism
Self-reported current use of drugs believed to influence intima-media thickening, i.e., lipid-lowering drugs, hormone replacement therapy
Self-reported medical diagnosis of renal, intestinal, thyroid disease
Self-reported medical diagnosis of current cancer
Self-reported current use of supplements containing B vitamins
Self-reported inability or unwillingness to fast for 12 hours
<80% compliance using placebo pills during a 6-week run-in period
Not giving written informed consent
Participation in other research studies