FDA OKs Limited Heart Disease Claim for B vitamins
No known side effects at reasonable levels. Cheap. Helps with liver detoxification. Helps with nervous function. On and on. Any physician who plans on waiting for the FDA to determine the necessity and safety of B vitamins in lowering rates of heart disease via homocysteine would do well to remember that it took near to four DECADES to make the recommendation for folic acid and neural tube defects.
(article) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said late on Tuesday that foods and dietary supplements containing vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid will be permitted to carry a claim that the vitamins may reduce the risk of heart disease. However, the claim must note that the scientific evidence is not conclusive, the agency said. The FDA said that an acceptable claim would run along the lines of: “Studies in the general population have generally found that these vitamins lower homocysteine, an amino acid found in the blood. It is not known whether elevated levels of homocysteine may cause vascular disease or whether high homocysteine levels are caused by other factors.” Earlier this month, the FDA said that it would allow a limited claim for the association between omega-3 fatty acids and heart disease. The agency said scientific evidence that these compounds could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) was not conclusive. vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is found in fortified foods such as cereals and grains. vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is found in meat, fish and poultry, as well as fortified milk and breakfast cereals. Folate, or folic acid, is found in many fruits and vegetables and in fortified foods.