Cardiovascular risk in the Asia-Pacific region from a nutrition and metabolic point of view: vitamin deficiencies.

In the past, recommended vitamin or micronutrient intakes have often been based on levels that were adequate to prevent clinical deficiencies from developing. Once these levels were reached, clinicians and nutrition scientists generally attributed little value to higher vitamin intake from supplements or food sources. Evidence has continued to mount showing that the intake and serum concentration of certain vitamins above those necessary to prevent clinical deficiencies, might importantly influence health status. This paper discusses the association of anti-oxidant vitamins and cardiovascular disease, and the association of low intake or serum concentrations of folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, and elevated serum homocysteine, resulting in an increase in vascular disease risk.