This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The objectives of this study are: 1) to investigate the casual relationship between vitamin B2 (B2) status and plasma total homocysteine levels (tHcy); and 2) to explore whether folate levels and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype (C677T) modify the relationship between vitamin B2 and tHcy levels. The hypothesis is that vitamin B2 can decrease tHcy levels and the relationship between B2 status and tHcy levels is modified by the folate levels and the genotype of MTHFR. This is a randomized, double blind, intervention study. Healthy subjects older than 50 years (N=210) will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Subjects will be blindly given a placebo or riboflavin (20 mg/D) for 12 weeks, or given a placebo for 6 weeks and then riboflavin supplements for another 6 weeks. Levels of tHcy (along with levels of vitamins B2, B6, B12, and folic acid) before and after supplementation will be measured and compared statistically. MTHFR genotype will be analyzed, along with folic aicd levels, to study their effects on the relationship between B2 status and tHcy. If the investigators show that B2 supplements can lower tHcy levels from this proposed study, vitamin B2 will be another easily available and inexpensive supplements to lower tHcy levels in the general population. If folate and/or MTHFRC677T polymorphism (such as TT form) modifies the relationship between vitamin B2 may be higher for TT from subjects. Eventually, these findings will help to decrease homocysteine levels, and possibly homocysteine-associated diseases.
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