A new study has coming out of China shows a combination of folic acid & enalapril may help reduce the risk of stroke, especially for patients with hypertension. Many medical professionals recommend a high intake of folic acid in order to reduce the risk of the first stroke.

One of the medications,  Enalapril – ACE inhibitor, is often used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. 

What is Folic Acid

• Aka folate
• Vitamin B
• Naturally found in food

Good Sources of Folic Acid:

• Dark green vegetables – spinach, romaine lettuce
• Dried beans – pinto, navy, kidney
• Tomatoes
• Nuts
• Lentils
• Citrus fruits
• Grain-based products like wheat flour, cornmeal, and rice

The Study

Lead researcher is Dr. Yong Huo, out of Peking University First Hospital in Beijing. They studies over 20,000 adults with hypertension. The adults did not have a history of stroke or heart disease. 

• 10,348 were given a combination pill that contained folic acid and enalapril
• 10,354 were given a pill that contained only enalapril

The single daily tablet contained about 10 mg of enalapril and 0.8 mg of folic acid. Participants were observed for about 4.5 years. 

Researchers found people who were given enalapril  and folic acid pill were LESS likely to suffer a first stroke, compared with the group that only took enalapril.

• 282 (2.7%) patients who took enalapril and folic acid had a first stroke
• Compared to 355 (3.4%) patients who were given only enalapril
• Folic acid & enalapril combination helped reduce the risk of stroke by 21%
• People who were treated folic acid and enalapril also had a reduced risk of:
  • Ischemic stroke
  • Combination of heart problems that can lead to stroke, MI and death