Do Diet, Folic Acid, and Vitamins Matter?

Title

Do Diet, Folic Acid, and Vitamins Matter?: What Did We Learn From The Women's Health Initiative, The Women's Health Study, The Women's Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study, and Other Clinical Trials?[Review]

Author
Wenger, Nanette K. MD

Institution
From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine; the Division of Cardiology, Grady Memorial Hospital; and the Emory Heart and Vascular Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

Source
Cardiology in Review. 15(6):288-290, November/December 2007.

Abstract
Data from recent randomized clinical trials have contributed substantially to our understanding of appropriate interventions for coronary heart disease in women. Addressed in this monograph are issues of diet, folic acid, and antioxidant vitamins. Importantly, these randomized clinical trials have helped to clarify conflicting information from observational data, and to aid clinicians and their women patients in making appropriate choices of coronary and cardiovascular preventive therapy.

The 2007 update to the AHA women's prevention guidelines concludes that antioxidant vitamin supplements (eg, vitamins C, E, and beta carotene) should not be used for the primary or secondary prevention of CVD, a class III recommendation.