By: Thomas Pickering, MD, DPhil, FRCP, Director of Integrative and Behavioral Cardiology Program
of the Cardiovascular Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

One of the more recently discovered risk factors for vascular disease that leads to heart attacks and strokes is a substance called homocysteine, which is an amino-acid that occurs naturally in the body. When the level of homocysteine in the blood gets too high, it damages the arterial wall and promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. In some cases this happens because of an inadequate intake of vitamins, in particular folic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12.

A product called Folgard contains all three of these (800 micrograms of folic acid, 10 milligrams of B-6, and 115 micrograms of B-12) in one tablet. The recommended dose is one or two tablets daily, preferably taken in the evening. Folgard is marketed as a dietary supplement and therefore does not require a prescription. It is marketed by Upsher-Smith.