Folate Intake Linked to Reduced Risk of High Blood Pressure in Young Women

A recent study presented at the American Heart Association's 58th Annual High Blood Pressure Research Conference has found that young women who consume more than 800 mcg of folate per day can reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure by almost a third compared to those who consume less than 200 mcg/day. Folate, a B-vitamin found in various foods, also reduced the risk in older women to a lesser degree. Researchers studied over 150,000 women to determine the link between folate intake and high blood pressure risk.

Key Takeaways:

• Young women who consume more than 800 mcg of folate per day have a 29% lower risk of developing high blood pressure than those who consume less than 200 mcg/day.
• Older women who have total folate intake of 800 mcg/day have a 13% lower risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Folate intake was examined in quintiles, and researchers found the most dramatic effects among the younger group.
• Folate has been shown to reduce levels of homocysteine, a blood component that can damage blood vessels, and may also help blood vessels relax, improving blood flow.
• The benefit of folate was independent of other factors such as exercise, salt intake, and diet, which are known to influence risk of high blood pressure.
• Researchers studied two large studies of women, including the Nurses' Health Study I and the Nurses' Health Study II, which included 62,260 and 93,034 women, respectively.
• Folate is found in foods such as citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, beans, and grain products, and wheat flour has been fortified with folic acid since January 1998 to add an estimated 100 mcg per day to the average diet.

Statistics:

• Young women had a 29% lower risk of developing high blood pressure with a daily folate intake of more than 800 mcg compared to those with a daily intake of less than 200 mcg.
• Older women had a 13% lower risk of developing high blood pressure with a total folate intake of 800 mcg/day.
• Folate intake of 800 mcg/day or more reduced hypertension risk by 48% in women who consumed primarily supplemental folic acid.
• Women in the Nurses' Health Study I had a 40% reduction in hypertension risk with a folate intake of 800 mcg/day or more.

Sources:

• American Heart Association's 58th Annual High Blood Pressure Research Conference.
• Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
• Heart Disease Weekly.