Hyperhomocysteinemia in Healthy Young Men and Elderly Men with Normal Serum Folate Concentration Is Not Associated with Poor Vascular Reactivity or Oxidative Stress

SANDRA HIRSCH, ANA MARÍA RONCO, MARCELA VAZQUEZ, MARÍA PÍA DE LA MAZA, ARGELIA GARRIDO, GLADYS BARRERA, VIVIEN GATTAS, ANDREA GLASINOVIC, LAURA LEIVA, AND DANIEL BUNOUT

JOURNAL OF NUTRITION

American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

Lugar: Pennsylvania State. USA; Año: 2004 vol. 134 p. 1832 - 1835

0022-3166

The mechanism by which homocysteine (Hcy) causes endothelial dysfunction is probably mediated by oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oxidative stress on endothelial function in young and elderly hyperhomocysteinemic (HHcy) men. A total of 35 HHcy (Hcy > 15 mmol/L), young (n =15; 20–40 y) and elderly men (n =20; > 65 y) and 33 normohomocysteinemic (NHcy; controls) young (n = 14) and elderly (n = 19) men (Hcy < 13 mmol/L), without classic cardiovascular risk factors were recruited. Serum Hcy, folate, and vitamin B-12, whole-blood glutathione, plasma total antioxidants status, TBARS, and 8-F2_ isoprostanes were determined. Noninvasive ultrasound measurements of endothelium-dependent (EDVR) and –independent dilatation (EIVR) were performed. EDVR, EIVR, and markers of oxidative stress did not differ among the groups. Folate concentrations were higher in elderly than in young men (P < 0.001), independent of Hcy concentrations. Vitamin B-12 concentrations were lower in HHcy than in NHcy elderly men (P < 0.045). EDVR was correlated with folate concentrations in young men (r =0.40, P = 0.04) and negatively with BMI in elderly men (r = - 0.52, P = 0.002). In the present study, HHcy with normal serum folate concentrations was not associated with poor EDVR or oxidative stress in healthy young and elderly men. J. Nutr. 134: 1832–1835, 2004.