According to a study published in the April 15 online version of Stroke, dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 reduce the risk of mortality from stroke and any cardiovascular disease in women and reduce the risk of heart failure in men.
The study analyzed the food consumption of 23,119 men and 35,611 women (aged 40-79 years) for 14 years. Participants were classified into quintiles based on their intake of folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
When compared with participants in the lowest quintiles, participants in the highest quintiles of folate and vitamin B6 intake were associated with significantly fewer deaths from heart failure in men and significantly fewer deaths from stroke, heart disease and cardiovascular disease in women.
By contrast, vitamin B12 intake was not associated with reduced mortality risk.
The researchers suspected the benefits effects of vitamin B6 and folate might be related to the reduction of blood homocysteine concentrations.
Source: Stroke (April 15, 2010)
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