There's no evidence that taking vitamin-B supplements prevents heart disease, say researchers who reviewed the findings of eight studies that included a total of 24,210 people.
It's been suggested that vitamin-B supplements may help regulate levels of homocysteine, leading to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. But the review authors found no proof to support that claim, United Press International reported.
Their findings appear in the Cochrane Library.
"It is important to point out that although we may have not found a positive effect, these kinds of studies are vitally important for determining the factors that influence the risk of developing and dying from this disease, which is the No. 1 cause of death in the world today," lead researcher Arturo Marti-Carvajal, of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network in Valencia, Venezuela, said in a news release.
"Prescription of these supplements cannot be justified, unless new evidence from large high-quality trials alters our conclusions. There are currently three ongoing trials that will help to consolidate or challenge these findings," Marti-Carvajal said, UPI reported.