Back in time Reading the mainstream news on alternative health is like digging up a time capsule: All sorts of old stuff is suddenly "new" again. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- just a little ironic when these "novel discoveries" never really went away in the first place. Case in point: A "new" study from the Wolfson Institute for Preventive Medicine in London found that folic acid can help ward off heart disease and stroke by reducing levels of homocysteine in the body. I congratulate the researchers on even considering a natural approach to lowering heart disease risk. But I do have to take issue with their stance that the previously conducted trials on homocysteine "were too small and non-representative to provide a definitive conclusion." Homocysteine has been a known cardiovascular risk factor since the 1970s. After 37 years, I think we can safely say that the conclusion is definitive. At any rate, high homocysteine levels can be caused by various factors, including genetics, shifting hormone levels (like menopause), and vitamin B deficiencies. But no matter what caused the high homocysteine, taking extra folic acid -- along with vitamin B6 and B12 always brings levels back to normal. It's one of the few sure-fire treatments out there -- which is why I find it so amusing that the researchers at the Wolfson Institute seem to think that they discovered it. But regardless of who discovered it or when, the point here is that taking more folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 is good for you. Dosage can be a bit complex: Sometimes taking a high-potency multiple vitamin is plenty, but you may need to add an extra "B-complex 50" or "B-complex 100" once or twice daily. And some people need extra amounts of vitamin B12 and/or folic acid to lower homocysteine levels to a safe level. But determining the best dose for your needs is definitely worth the effort: A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2002 estimated that even a very small decrease (3 micromoles per liter) in homocysteine levels can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by 16 percent and cut your stroke risk by 24 percent. | 
