Can taking folic acid supplements reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke? British researchers believe it can.
After analysing evidence from earlier studies, a team of scientists in Britain said on Friday there is enough research that shows folic acid lowers levels of the amino acid homocysteine and reduces the odds of cardiovascular disease.
"The evidence is very persuasive that lowering homocysteine with folic acid will lower your risk of heart attack and stroke by about 10-20 percent," David Wald, of the Wolfson Institute for Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London, Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, said in an interview.
Folic acid is a synthetic compound of folate, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables and liver. Women are advised to take folic acid before conceiving and during the early months of pregnancy to prevent neural tube disorders such as spina bifida.
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