Complex multivitamin supplementation improves homocysteine and resistance to LDL-C oxidation

We previously reported in an open-label pilot trial that a 24-ingredient multivitamin formula favorably influenced homocysteine concentration and LDL-C oxidation indices following 24 weeks of supplementation. Our current aim was to more thoroughly examine this same formula in a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical study.

We examined 182 participants for selected plasma vitamin concentrations and clinically relevant variables including homocysteine, lipids and LDL-C oxidation indices at baseline and six months.

We found no significant differences between groups for any parameter at baseline. Following six months of vitamin supplementation, we observed elevations in plasma concentrations of vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate; PLP), vitamin B12, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene (p < 0.0001), all of which were significantly greater than respective placebo group changes (p < 0.0001). Homocysteine decreased in the treatment (8.38 +/- 2.9 vs. 6.93 +/- 2.5 micro mol/L; p < 0.0001) and placebo group (8.17 +/- 3.0 vs. 7.42 +/- 2.2 micro mol/L; p < 0.0001) from baseline to six months, respectively, with reductions in the treatment group being greater than placebo (p < 0.008). LDL-C oxidation indices were also improved as LDL-C oxidation rate was decreased (-0.39 micro mol/min/g protein; p < 0.0003) and LDL-C lag time increased (11.3 min; p < 0.003) in supplemented participants. Further analysis also showed that LDL-C oxidation rate was lower (p < 0.0007) and LDL-C lag time longer (p < 0.0001) for the vitamin group than placebo treatment after six months.

We conclude that a multi-ingredient vitamin formula with antioxidant properties has measurable effects on homocysteine and LDL-C oxidation indices.