In May's edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics there is an article positing researching whether polymorphisms in MTHFR affect homocysteine/folate/one carbon metabolism. If so, does vitamin status play a role. B vitamins are essential for the remethylation and transsulfuration of homocysteine, which is an important intermediate in one-carbon metabolism.
What they found is that persons with a polymorphism in the MTHFR (I know what you are thinking....sounds like) namely the change at base 677 from a C to a T, had difficulties with this metabolism when low on B vitamins.
So is Nutrigenomics here? You know, the right vitamin for the right person at the right time...
Not so fast.
- Homocysteine is only poorly linked to heart disease in asymptomatic patients
- There is some literature which states that B vitamin supplementation in patients with prior heart attack can cause WORSE outcomes.
- This is a replicated study, but not on a heterogeneous population...........
All things considered I would do 3 things.
- Continue with my multivitamin
- Only supplement with B vitamins if I have NOT had a heart attack
- Go over the results of any Nutrigenomic test I took with a geneticist
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