Label Review
Label Review
June 1999; Volume 1: 54
With Comments from Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD
Homocysteine Defense Formula |
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| Label Information | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Promotes healthy heart and circulatory function"
"Important facts you should know: Sundown's Homocysteine Defense Formula contains a select combination of vitamins which help nutritionally to fortify the body, promoting healthy heart and circulatory function. Research confirms the importance of healthy homocysteine levels for optimum cardiovascular and circulatory function. The body requires vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid to break down homocysteine into non-harmful nutrients. These three essential B vitamins, plus vitamin B2 and choline, when taken regularly, help maintain healthy levels of homocysteine in the blood." "For additional cardiovascular protection, take this product with any one of Sundown's quality vitamin E, CoQ10 or garlic products." |
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| Suggested Use | ||||||||||||||||||
| As a dietary supplement, take one tablet daily, preferably with a meal or as directed by a health care professional. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Supplement Facts | ||||||||||||||||||
Serving size: one tablet
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| * Recognized as essential, but no U.S. RDA set
Produced under USP good manufacturing processes Homocysteine Defense Formula is a trademark of Sundown Vitamins®, Boca Raton, FL 33487 (the retail and mass merchandising division of Rexall Sundown, Inc.). ______________________________________ |
Price: $7.25, 60 tablets
Comments
Elevated homocysteine levels have been linked to an increased risk of, among other things, cardiovascular disease,1 neural tube defects, and recurrent pregnancy loss.2 Although folate or pyridoxine alone will lower homocysteine levels, the combination of folate, pyridoxine, and vitamin B12 is more effective. The FDA has required enriched grains to be fortified with folic acid since January 1998. However, this will only supply about 100 mcg/d.3
The levels of these vitamins in this formula are reasonable and along the lines of doses used in trials of these nutrients to lower homocysteine. A standard vitamin B-complex would contain more B2 and B6 (typically 50 or 100 mg) but would contain less folic acid (typically 100 mcg) and vitamin B12 (typically 100 mcg). Vitamin B2 is not involved in homocysteine metabolism.
To my knowledge, choline has not been tested in a clinical trial for this purpose, so its inclusion in this formula demonstrates some knowledge of nutrition: Choline is an important methyl donor and its metabolism is closely interrelated with methionine. Affecting one of these nutrients causes compensatory changes in the others. For example, rats fed a diet deficient in choline will show diminished total folate concentrations.4 Choline is not considered an essential nutrient because it can be synthesized endogenously; however, dietary intake may still be important, as choline- deficiency syndromes have been identified in humans.
By its label, this product has adequate doses of nutrients known to lower homocysteine levels and should be effective for that purpose. Although it may cost less to buy a B-complex vitamin and add some extra folic acid, this product is not unreasonably priced, especially when compared to other combination dietary supplements.
References
1. Mayer EL, et al. Homocysteine and coronary atherosclerosis. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996;27:517-527.
2. Eskes TK. Open or closed? A world of difference: A history of homocysteine research. Nutr Rev 1998; 56:236-244.
3. Oakley, GP. Eat right and take a multivitamin. N Engl J Med 1998;338:1060-1061.
4. Zeisel SH. Choline and phosphatidylcholine. In: Shils ME, et al., eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. 9th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 1998:516-517.
30. Elevated homocysteine levels have been linked to an increased risk of which of the following?
a. Cardiovascular disease
b. Neural tube defects
c. Recurrent pregnancy loss
d. All of the above.
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