Effect of Non-Alcoholic Beer on Older Adults Homocysteine Levels

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Cunha, Nathalie (Author) FCNAUP; Noronha, Mafalda (Author) FCNAUP; Abrunhosa, Sofia (Author) FCNAUP; Rocha, Ada (Author) FCNAUP; Amaral, Teresa (Author) FCNAUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice

Vol. 1 No. 3

Pages: 230-234

ISSN: 2258-8094

Publisher: International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

CORDIS: Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-MQW

Abstract (EN): Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of non-alcoholic beer (NAB) and non alcoholic beer with a high content of folic acid (NAB-FA) in reducing hyperhomocysteinemia amongst older adults. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Setting: Care homes for older adults. Participants: Forty older adults aged 72 to 96 years (mean=83), with high serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels, >11μmol/L in women and >12μmol/L in men. Intervention: Those who reported liking NAB were randomly assigned to drinking 500 ml/day of NAB (n=8) or NAB-FA (43.7μg of folic acid/100 mL) (n=9). Those who reported not liking NAB were allocated to the control group (n=23), 500ml/day of water. Measurements: Serum levels of Hcy, folic acid and cobalamin evaluated at baseline and after the intervention. Results: A higher reduction in Hcy levels was observer after beer (NAB and NAB FA) than after water ingestion (3.2μmol/L, interquartile range (IQR)=3.2μmol/L, p<0.001 compared with 0.9μmol/L, IQR=1.5μmol/L, p<0.001). Compared to the water ingestion, this reduction in Hcy levels was higher after NAB FA intake (3.55μmol/L, IQR=2.1μmol/L, p=0.011) than after NAB (2.45μmol/L, IQR=6.3μmol/L; p=0.132). Conclusion: Three week intake of non-alcoholic beer significantly decreased Hcy levels in older adults with advanced age. When folic acid was integrated into NAB, a considerably lower dose of folic acid was necessary in order to reduce Hcy plasma levels than previously described for that purpose.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: Indexação: a revista iniciou a sua publicação em 2012, ainda não dispomos de informação sobre a indexação, http://www.jarcp.com/about-the-journal.html