Health Professionals:

Research on Folic Acid

Folic acid or homocysteine also have been associated with other diseases or chronic conditions.

Two studies indicate that elevated homocysteine concentrations were associated with an increased risk for bone fractures in elderly individuals (van Meurs et al. 2004, McLean et al. 2004). A more recent longitudinal follow up study indicated that participants with high homocysteine had approximately 70% higher hip fracture risk. The relation between homocysteine and hip fracture is largely independent of B-vitamin status (McLean et al. 2008).

The proposed mechanism may be the potential for homocysteine to interfere with collagen synthesis, thereby affecting bone structure independent of mineral content. A 2007 systematic review suggests that hyperhomocysteinemia adversely affects bone quality by a stimulation of bone resorption and disturbance of collagen crosslinking (Herrmann et al. 2007). Higher folate intake from diet and supplements also has been associated with a decreased risk for hypertension in women (Forman et al. 2005).