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Effects of B Vitamins on Homocysteine Lowering and Thrombotic Risk Reduction—A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Published Since January 1996
Mengyan Li, Ruodi Ren, Kunkun Wang, Shan Wang, Andrew Chow, Andrew Yang, Yun Lu, Christopher Leo. Nutrients, 2025-03-24
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
(cobalamin)-dependent pathways. Supplementation of B vitamins has been shown to effectively reduce plasma homocysteine levels. Previous research has also demonstrated an association between lower plasma homocysteine levels and decreased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and venous thromboembolism. However, whether supplementation of B vitamins is associated with risk reduction in thromboembolic events and confers clinical benefits remains inconclusive. This review examines clinical trials published over the past 29 years to assess the effects of B vitamin supplementation on thrombotic risk reduction and homocysteine metabolism. The findings from these studies are inconsistent, and the impact of B vitamins on thrombosis prevention remains uncertain. Given the conflicting evidence, further clinical and translational research is necessary to clarify the role of B vitamin supplementation in thrombosis risk reduction.
Key findings
- Previous research has also demonstrated an association between lower plasma homocysteine levels and decreased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and venous thromboembolism.
- However, whether supplementation of B vitamins is associated with risk reduction in thromboembolic events and confers clinical benefits remains inconclusive.
Why it matters
This review is about B vitamin supplementation, homocysteine and thrombotic risk and contains no information on Alzheimer's disease. It reports no findings relevant to treating, curing or preventing dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 45 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 47 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nutrients) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Nutrients: journal h-index 331 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 17 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Christopher Leo holds only 8 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Brigham and Women's Hospital: institution h-index 1,995 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40218880) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 45 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 45 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 47 out of 100. |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Li, M., Ren, R., Wang, K., Wang, S., Chow, A., Yang, A., et al. (2025). Effects of B Vitamins on Homocysteine Lowering and Thrombotic Risk Reduction—A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Published Since January 1996. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071122
Vancouver
Li M, Ren R, Wang K, Wang S, Chow A, Yang A, et al. Effects of B Vitamins on Homocysteine Lowering and Thrombotic Risk Reduction—A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Published Since January 1996. Nutrients. 2025. doi:10.3390/nu17071122. PMID: 40218880.
BibTeX
@article{li2025-40218880,
author = {Li, Mengyan and Ren, Ruodi and Wang, Kunkun and Wang, Shan and Chow, Andrew and Yang, Andrew and Lu, Yun and Leo, Christopher},
title = {{Effects of B Vitamins on Homocysteine Lowering and Thrombotic Risk Reduction—A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Published Since January 1996}},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/nu17071122},
pmid = {40218880},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071122}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.