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Plasma total homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 status in Korean adults
Hyeon-Sook Lim1, Young-Ran Heo
1Department of Food and Nutrition, Chonnam National University, Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu Gwangju, 500-757, Korea. limhs@chonnam.ac.kr
Insights
Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) is a cardiovascular disease risk. In Korean adults, males have higher tHcy and lower folate and vitamin B12 levels, suggesting improved nutrient status could benefit cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional biochemistry
- Cardiovascular epidemiology
Background:
- Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a recognized risk factor for occlusive cardiovascular disease.
- Plasma folate and vitamin B12 are crucial for homocysteine metabolism, acting as a cosubstrate and cofactor, respectively.
- Limited data exists on plasma tHcy levels and their relationship with folate and vitamin B12 status in the Korean population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma tHcy levels and their correlation with plasma folate and vitamin B12 status in Korean adults.
- To determine the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and nutrient deficiencies in this population.
- To explore potential sex differences in tHcy levels and their association with nutrient status.
Main Methods:
- Plasma levels of tHcy, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured in 195 Korean adults (99 males, 96 females).
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare levels between sexes, assess age-related trends, and determine correlations.
- Prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia (tHcy ≥ 5 µmol/L) and deficiencies (folate < 3.0 ng/mL, B12 < 150 pg/mL) were calculated.
Main Results:
- Mean plasma tHcy was significantly higher in males (11.18 ± 3.88 µmol/L) than females (9.20 ± 2.65 µmol/L).
- Hyperhomocysteinemia prevalence was higher in males (10.1%) than females (2.1%).
- Males had significantly lower plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels compared to females, with higher rates of deficiency.
- Plasma tHcy levels were inversely correlated with plasma folate (r = -0.372, p < 0.001) and vitamin B12 (r = -0.226, p < 0.01) in both sexes.
Conclusions:
- Plasma tHcy levels and hyperhomocysteinemia prevalence in Korean adults resemble Western findings.
- Male adults in this cohort exhibit a potentially worse cardiovascular disease risk profile due to higher tHcy and lower nutrient levels.
- Improving folate and vitamin B12 status may be a viable strategy to reduce plasma tHcy levels, particularly in males.
Abstract:
Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels have been established as a risk factor for occlusive cardiovascular disease. Also known is that plasma folate and vitamin B12 influence homocysteine metabolism as cosubstrate and cofactor, respectively. However, not much information is available describing plasma tHcy levels and their relationship to plasma folate and vitamin B12 status in Koreans. We measured the plasma levels of tHcy, folate, and vitamin B12 in 195 adults (99 males, 96 females; 23-72 y old in the lower middle class). The mean plasma tHcy levels of males, 11.18 +/- 3.88 micromol/L, was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of females, 9.20 +/- 2.65 micromol/L. The distribution of tHcy levels of males showed a wide range, 3-50 micromol/L, with a long tail toward higher values. Thus the incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia (> or = 5 micromol/L) in males, 10.1%, was significantly higher (< 0.02) than the 2.1% in females. As age increased, plasma tHcy levels tended to be higher in females. Therefore, sex differences in plasma tHcy levels disappeared in subjects over fifty. On the other hand, both plasma folate (6.47 +/- 3.06 vs 7.96 +/- 3.55 ng/mL, p < 0.01) and vitamin B12 levels (537.0 +/- 222.0 vs. 664.1 +/- 309.8 ng/mL, p < 0.01) were significantly lower in males than in females. A plasma folate deficiency (< 3.0 ng/mL) was found in 6.1% of males and 2.1% of females. And a vitamin B12 deficiency (< 150 pg/mL) was detected in 2.0% and 1.0%, respectively. Plasma tHcy levels were related with inversely plasma concentrations of folate (r = -0.37249, p < 0.001) as well as vitamin B12 (r = -0.22560, p < 0.01) in both sexes. Plasma levels of tHcy and the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Korean adults are similar to findings in the West. Our results indicate that male adults may be in worse condition for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than females. And improving folate and vitamin B12 status may reduce plasma tHcy level, which may be more important in males.
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