Folic acid supplementation improves vascular function in professional dancers with endothelial dysfunction. PM R 2011 Nov;3(11):1005-12
Date
07/01/2011Pubmed ID
21715240Pubmed Central ID
PMC3328806DOI
10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.02.014Scopus ID
2-s2.0-82955212917 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 15 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if folic acid supplementation improves vascular function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) in professional dancers with known endothelial dysfunction.
DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study.
SETTING: Academic institution in the Midwestern United States.
SUBJECTS: Twenty-two professional ballet dancers volunteered for this study.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects completed a 3-day food record to determine caloric and micronutrient intake. Menstrual status was determined by interview and questionnaire. Endothelial function was determined as flow-induced vasodilation measured by high-frequency ultrasound of the brachial artery. A change in brachial diameter of <5% to hyperemic flow stimulus was defined a priori as endothelial dysfunction. Subjects with abnormal FMD took 10 mg of folic acid daily for 4 weeks, and FMD testing was then repeated. Serum whole blood was measured for folic acid levels before and after supplementation.
RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of dancers (n = 14) had abnormal brachial artery FMD (<5%) (mean ± standard deviation, 2.9% ± 1.5%). After 4 weeks of folic acid supplementation (10 mg/day), FMD improved in all the subjects (7.1% ± 2.3%; P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that vascular endothelial function improves in dancers after supplementation with folic acid (10 mg/day) for at least 4 weeks. This finding may have clinically important implications for future cardiovascular disease risk prevention.
Author List
Hoch AZ, Papanek P, Szabo A, Widlansky ME, Gutterman DDAuthors
Paula Papanek PhD, MPT, LAT, FACSM Associate Professor & Director of Exercise Science in the Exercise Science & Physical Therapy department at Marquette UniversityAniko Szabo PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael E. Widlansky MD Associate Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Brachial Artery
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dancing
Dietary Supplements
Endothelium, Vascular
Female
Folic Acid
Humans
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vascular Diseases
Vasodilation
Vitamin B Complex
Young Adult
