(25-11-15) Riboflavin Lowers Blood Pressure: A Review of a Novel Gene nutrient Interaction

JJ Strain*Catherine FHughes, Helene McNulty, Mary Ward

Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, United Kingdom



Hypertension, defined as a systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or greater, is estimated a to carry a three fold increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Evidence from genomewide association studies has identified an association between blood pressure and the gene encoding the folate
metabolising enzyme, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Recent meta
analyses of observational studies show an increased risk of hypertension in people homozygous for the 677CT polymorphism in MTHFR

Riboflavin in the form offlavin adenine dinucleotide(FAD) acts as a cofactor for MTHFR, and the variant enzyme is known from molecular studies to become inactivefor having an increased propensity to dissociate from FAD. Our findi
ngs revealed that CVD patients with MTHFR677TT genotype (compared to CC
or CT genotype) have significantly higher blood pressure, and that blood pressure was highly responsive to intervention with riboflavin, resulting in significant lowering, specifically in the TT genotype group. Further investigations confirmed this gene
nutrient interaction in hypertensive patients (with and without overt CVD),
and showed that the blood pressure lowering effect of riboflavin in the TT genotype group was independent of antihypertensive drug use

Although the precise mechanism linking this polymorphism to hypertension remains
to be established, it would appear that the biological perturbation, which leads to higher blood pressure in individuals with MTHFR 677TT genotype,
is modifiable by correcting the variant MTHFR enzyme through
enhancing riboflavin status. Thus riboflavin, targeted specifically at this genetically at
risk group, may offer a
personalised non-drug approach to managing hypertension


Source: Nutrition and Food Sciences Research Vol 2, No 2, AprJun2015

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