New Studies on B Vitamins - Not the Final Word

[Guest guest]

Let us also remember that the best two ways to supplement B-12, that

is most assimilated by the body, is by injection or intravenously. It

is not assimilated near as well in most supplement forms.

http://www.crnusa.org/PR06_ACC_VitB031206.html

New Studies on B-Vitamins Not the Final Word

—Studies Conducted in Diseased Population Cannot Be

Applied to General Population or Preventative Benefits of B-Vitamins—

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 12, 2006 – Findings from two new studies

(HOPE-2 and NORVIT) on vitamins B-6, B-12 and folate supported the

conclusions of a vast body of scientific research which shows that

these vitamins help lower homocysteine levels, but failed to support

the hypothesis that lowering homocysteine levels in persons who

already have cardiovascular disease (CVD) will provide protection

against a future cardiovascular event. The studies are being presented

at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session which

begins on March 11 in Atlanta, Ga., and will be published in the April

13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

According to Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., consultant and past president

of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), " While these studies

contribute importantly to the research base, they have limited

application for the general population. These studies did not test

whether B vitamins used by healthy people can help keep them healthy.

Instead, they looked at whether B vitamins can treat or reverse heart

disease in people who already have it. Vitamins should not be expected

to perform like drugs—their greatest promise is in prevention. "

CRN pointed out that it is unrealistic to expect a vitamin to undo

damage caused by heart disease and that consumers should not be

looking for B-vitamins to treat disease. Both these studies involved

seriously ill subjects. But what has to be considered, according to

Dr. Dickinson, is whether the population

studied would have been healthier to begin with if they had been

taking B-vitamins and others consistently over time. " That's the

question we'd like to see researched, " she said.

The HOPE-2 study did have some positive findings, including a

statistically significant 25% reduction in nonfatal strokes. The

authors say this may be due to chance, but similar effects have also

been observed in other studies.

At least ten clinical trials are now on-going or have been recently

completed looking at whether B vitamins can reduce the risk of CVD.

These trials are looking at populations who either already have CVD or

are at very high risk of CVD. CRN emphasized that every new study

needs to be viewed in context and cautioned against the tendency to

look at every trial as conclusive advice for the entire population.

" This is a well-designed and executed trial for the purpose for which

it was created. If there is a fundamental flaw, " said Dr. Dickinson,

" it is in the reasoning that is the underpinning of many clinical

trials on nutrient intervention. There are practical reasons—related

to cost, duration and the size of the study group—why these trials are

conducted in high risk or diseased populations. But we need to

remember that they are not necessarily testing a hypothesis that led

us to undertake the trials in the first place. Scientific research

does not always provide the yes or no answers that some would like.

Our best advice to healthy consumers is not to throw away your

vitamins based on the study du jour. "