Hypertension affects an estimated 65 million individuals in the U.S. and many more worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine whether higher folate intake is associated with a lower risk of hypertension.
The researchers found that younger women who consumed at least 1,000 micrograms a day of total folate (dietary plus supplemental) had a 46 percent decreased risk of hypertension, compared with those who consumed less than 200 micrograms a day of total folate. Older women with high total folate intake also had a 18 percent reduced risk of hypertension.
(JAMA. 2005;293:320-329. Available post-embargo at JAMA.com )
Editor's Note: To contact John P. Forman, M.D., call Amy Dayton Smith at 617-534-1603. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. For the financial disclosures of the authors, please see the JAMA article.
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