Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39960689›Full record

SynthesisNutrition reviews2025

Effect of Nutritional Supplements for Reducing Homocysteine Levels in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Cai Liu, Hui Yao, Fang Wang

Abstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nutrition reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Peroxynitrite regulates ER stress-mediated CaJournal of translational medicine · 2025
    Article
  6. Will a "multivitamin" a day keep the "MASLD doctor" away?Metabolism and target organ damage · 2025
    Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Cai LiuDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China.ORCID 0009-0004-4099-3796
Hui YaoDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China.
Fang WangDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China.

Funding

The Science Foundation of Lanzhou University Second Hospital YJS-BD-19
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextThere are various therapeutic approaches available to reduce homocysteine (Hcy) levels. However, it remains unclear which intervention is more effective for healthy adults.

objectivesA systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) were conducted to comprehensively investigate the efficacy of different nutritional supplements in reducing Hcy levels in healthy adults. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to July 2023. DATA EXTRACTION: The lead author, year of publication, sample size, population characteristics, intervention measures, duration, and mean difference of Hcy levels from baseline to endline were extracted. DATA ANALYSIS: Data were pooled using a random-effects model. Network meta-analysis was conducted by integrating direct and indirect evidence. A total of 16 studies were included in this analysis. The nutritional supplement combination that achieved the highest ranking (surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA] = 75.8) was superior compared with a single supplement. Among similar or closely dosed folic acid (FA) supplements, 800 μg FA (SUCRA = 93.7) was the most effective option. When comparing various doses of different supplements, 1 mg of FA plus 7.2 mg of vitamin B6 (B6) plus 20 μg of vitamin B12 (B12; SUCRA = 83.9) ranked first and 800 μg of FA (SUCRA = 78.3) ranked second. In comparison with placebo or no-treatment control groups, interventions such as 1 mg of FA plus 7.2 mg of B6 plus 20 μg of B12 (mean difference [MD] = -1.03; 95% CI -1.71 to -0.36), 400 μg of FA plus 400 μg of B12 (MD = -0.87; 95% CI -1.46 to -0.27), and 800 μg of FA (MD =  -0.84; 95% CI -1.12 to -0.56) were more effective in reducing Hcy levels. The random-effects summary MD for all interventions compared with placebo was -0.59 (95% CI -0.71 to -0.48; P < .0001).

conclusionsThe NMA demonstrated that the combination of FA with other vitamins is more effective in reducing Hcy levels, particularly when the dose of FA is close to 800 μg. The combination of 1 mg of FA, 7.2 mg of B6, and 20 μg of B12 is considered the most favorable option. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023453123.

Indexed as

Dietary SupplementsHomocysteineAdultFemaleFolic AcidHumansMaleMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicVitamin B 6Folic AcidHomocysteineVitamin B 6B vitaminfolic acidhomocysteinemeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID39960689
PMCPMC12166197

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.