Metabolic distress in lipid & one carbon metabolic pathway through low vitamin B-12: a population based study from North India

Kallur Nava Saraswathy,Shipra Joshi,Suniti Yadav,Priyanka Rani Garg

doi:10.1186/s12944-018-0748-y

Kallur Nava Saraswathy, Shipra Joshi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-018-0748-y

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Abstract

BackgroundDyslipidemia and hyper-homocysteinemia are the major independent risk factors of cardio vascular disease. Deficiency of folate and vitamin B-12 are associated with both hyper-homocysteinemia and dyslipidemia. The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship of homocysteine and its associated dietary determinant levels (Folate and Vitamin B-12) with lipids and obesity parameters (WC, BMI, WHR) in North Indian population.MethodsThe participants were recruited under a major government funded project through household survey covering 15 villages of Haryana, India. Participants were both males and females, between age group 30–65 years, from a north Indian community. Initially 1634 individuals were recruited, of which 1374 were considered for analysis as they were not found to be on any kind of medication for high blood pressure, CAD, diabetes or any other disorder, and had no missing data. 5 mL of intravenous blood sample was collected after obtaining written informed consent from the participants. Homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 levels were estimated through Immulite 1000 by chemi-luminescence technique. Triglyceride, total cholesterol and HDL-C were estimated by spectrophotometry technique using commercial kits. The values for LDL and VLDL were calculated using Friedwald’s equation. Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) was measured over light clothing. Statistical analysis for data was performed using SPSS 16.0 version.ResultsAll the lipid indices, except HDL, showed a trend of negative correlation with homocysteine after controlling for confounders, though not significant. No association was found between obesity (WC, BMI, WHR) and homocysteine in the present study. Vitamin B-12 deficiency was significantly associated with both hyper-homocysteinemia and low HDL. Folate was found to have significantly reduced risk for high TC & LDL.ConclusionsThe “hcy-lipid” hypothesis does not seem to be complementing in the present studied population. The population is vulnerable to severe under-nutrition due to the association of vitamin B-12 with HDL, leading to metabolic disturbance in both the pathways; lipid and one carbon metabolic pathway. Co-factors such as ethnicity, cultural practices, and lifestyle & dietary habits must be considered while making public health policies to control diseases.

Highlights

Dyslipidemia and hyper-homocysteinemia are the major independent risk factors of cardio vascular disease
Hcy mediated enhanced lipid peroxidation and generation of free radicals results in inflammation and acute endothelial dysfunction which accelerates atherosclerotic process predisposing to cardiovascular disease [13].The lipid and one carbon metabolic pathway are connected via an intermediate methyl donor, S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM)
All the selected biochemical and anthropometric variables, i.e.; homocysteine, lipids, vitamin B-12, folate, waist circumference (WC), Basic metabolic Index (BMI), WHR were not normally distributed, so median values were considered for the present study

Summary

Introduction

Dyslipidemia and hyper-homocysteinemia are the major independent risk factors of cardio vascular disease. Deficiency of folate and vitamin B-12 are associated with both hyper-homocysteinemia and dyslipidemia. The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship of homocysteine and its associated dietary determinant levels (Folate and Vitamin B-12) with lipids and obesity parameters (WC, BMI, WHR) in North Indian population. HHcy and dyslipidemia, both are the independent risk factors of CVDs but the co-existence of both HHcy & dyslipidemia is likely to multiply the burden of CVDs. Folate and vitamin B-12 (methyl donors) are the essential components of Hcy metabolic pathway and deficiency of these methyl donors are associated with HHcy and dyslipidemia as reported in studies [10]

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