Homocysteine and vitamin C

Homocysteine has a pro-oxidative activity. This amino acid, a lipid-independent vascular disease risk factor, might cause atherosclerosis by damaging the endothellium either directly or by altering the oxidative status. Levels of plasma homocysteine and vitamin C concentrations were determined in the adult majority population of Southern Slovakia (n=146) and in the ethnic Romany minority (n=119) in this region. Average homocysteine and vitamin C values in Romanies are similar to those in the majority group (non-significantly changed) with an equal finding of hyperhomocysteinemia, as well as with similar frequency of deficient, suboptimal and optimal vitamin C values. Under the condition of suboptimal (23-50 micromol/l) and optimal (>50 micromol/l) vitamin C levels, homocysteine values in connected groups are significantly lower with comparison to the value at deficient vitamin C level (<11.5 micromol/l), reduction from 10.74 micromol/l to 9.35 and 9.17 micromol/l. Multiple regression showed a negative linear correlation of homocysteine and folic acid, vitamin B12 (determinants of homocysteine metabolism), vitamin C (antioxidative effect) together (n=265, r=-0.282, p<0.00008). The significance for vitamin B12 alone, was p=0.0199, for folic acid p=0.0046, for vitamin C p=0.0499. The results express a significant effect of vitamin C in prevention of vascular damage. (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref; 19.).