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A large study of people with risk factors for coronary heart disease has found that taking vitamins made no difference. One of the last nails in the coffin of B vitamins for the prevention of coronary heart disease may well have been driven in. Studies observing large groups of people have suggested that high levels of a substance in the blood called homocysteine are a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. But that's not necessarily cause and effect, since homocysteine could be a marker for something else. The way to test this is to lower homocysteine levels and see what happens. That's easy to do because folic acid does this, as may vitamins B6 and B12. Now while such trials have not shown a benefit, there have been lingering doubts because these studies haven't lasted very long, and there's evidence that women may benefit more than men. Well, a seven-year randomised trial of folic acid, B6 and B12 in over 5000 women aged 40 and over with risk factors for coronary heart disease, has found no differences between those taking active vitamins versus placebo. There was also a hint that if a woman was taking vitamin C and on blood pressure treatment, the vitamin C was associated with added risk. So if you want to take vitamin supplements and have expensive urine that's fine, just don't expect the supplements to keep your ticker in shape.
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