Zusammenfassung
Neben der Fehlbildungsprävention durch das wasserlösliche Vitamin Folsäure wurde in
den vergangenen Jahren die Assoziation von Folsäure mit kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen
untersucht. Genaue Mechanismen der kardioprotektiven Wirkung von Folsäure sind bislang
unklar. In zahlreichen Studien wurde die Beeinflussung eines erhöhten Homocysteinspiegels,
der als Risikofaktor für Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen gilt, durch Folsäure untersucht.
Folsäure ist hierbei in der Lage, die Konzentrationen von Homocystein im Plasma zu
senken. Allerdings ergaben die Untersuchungen zum Teil kontroverse Ergebnisse, so
dass noch nicht eindeutig geklärt ist, ob erhöhte Homocysteinkonzentrationen an der
Pathogenese der Atherosklerose beteiligt sind oder einen indirekten Risikomarker für
kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen darstellen, wie zum Beispiel für einen Folsäuremangel.
Die Bedeutung der Folsäuresupplementation in der Sekundärprävention ist ebenfalls
noch nicht eindeutig geklärt, da bisher keine Ergebnisse aus klinischen Interventionsstudien
vorliegen.
Summary
Apart from the prevention of congenital malformations by supple- mentation of folic
acid, the association of folate intake and cardiovascular diseases has been studied.
In fact, exact mechanisms causing the cardioprotective effects of folate supplementation
have not been adequately investigated. However, a large number of relative studies
could prove the influence of folate on the homocysteine concentration of plasma which
is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It was discovered that folic
acid can lower the homocysteine concentration. These investigations have in part led
to contrasting results. It was, for instance, not possible to find out whether an
increased homocysteine concentration contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
or whether it denotes an indirect risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as
a folic-acid deficiency. Neither has the impact of folic acid supplementation as a
secondary prophylactic treatment been definitely cleared since results of intervention
studies are still lacking.
Schlüsselwörter
Folsäure - Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen - Anreicherung - Mortalität
Key words
Folic acid - folate - homocysteine - cardiovascular diseases - food fortification
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1 Ernährung & Medizin 2004; 19: 141-146.
Dipl. oec. troph. Judith Heinz
PD Dr. oec. troph. Jutta Dierkes
Institut für Klinische Chemie und Pathobiochemie
Universitätsklinik Magdeburg
Leipziger Str. 44
39120 Magdeburg
Email: judith.heinz@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
