Thrombosis supplementation trials

In humans, boron supplements are reported to lower the platelet count and potentially reduce the risk of thrombosis (Nielsen et al., 1991), while experimental evidence has been obtained for the likely usefulness of boron-containing thrombin inhibitors in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders (Tapparelli et al., 1993). In an acute feeding study, the concentration of activated factor VII was unaffected following the consumption of a high-fat meal with or without supplemental boron (Wallace et al., 2002), and in a longer-term supplementation trial, boron had no effect on plasma... 

There is an association between the rare inborn recessive condition of homocystinemia and arterial and venous thrombosis, and observational data link coronary heart disease, stroke, and venous thromboembolism with increasing plasma homocysteine (Wald et al. 2002, 2004). This led to trials of foUc acid and pyridoxine supplementation to lower homocysteine levels (Hankey 2002 Hankey and Eikelboom 2005). Results from such trials have so far been disappointing the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention Study (VISP) and the Norwegian Vitamin Trial (NORVIT) (Toole et al. 2004 Bonaa et al. 2006) trials showed no treatment effect on recurrent stroke, coronary events or deaths. Preliminary results from the Study of Vitamins to Prevent Stroke (VITATOPS) trial have shown no evidence of reduced levels of iirflammation, endothelial dysfunction, or the hypercoagulability postulated to be increased by elevated homocysteine levels in patients with previous TIA or stroke treated with foUc acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin Bs... 

Leppala JM, Virtamo J, Fogelhohn R et al. (2000). Controlled trial of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplements on stroke incidence and mortality in male smokers. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 20 230-235... 

Clarke, R., and Armitage, J., 2000. Vitamin supplements and eardiovaseular risk review of the randomized trials of homoeysteine-lowering vitamin supplements. Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis. 26 341 348. 

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