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Homocysteine is an amino acid. Amino acids are the small building blocks that make up all proteins. As a natural substance (amino acid) made by the body, homocysteine has an impact on various conditions and areas of our health. It is intermediate in the conversion - taking place in the liver - of an amino acid, methionine, to another amino acid and powerful antioxidant, cysteine. Being at a metabolic crossroad, homocysteine affects the metabolism of key enzymes, hormones, and nutrients vital to our system (all the methyl and sulfur group). However, homocysteine can play both positive and negative roles in our health. Its beneficial influence takes place only when this homocysteine is broken down completely in the body. Then it helps furnish important substances necessary for many biochemical reactions providing the body with the fuel for such vital processes as
Unfortunately, many people lack the ability to break down homocysteine completely. This inability, usually caused by poor diet and faulty methionine pathways in the system, creates a gradual homocysteine buildup in the body resulting in a negative impact on our health. At this point, homocysteine becomes a dangerous substance that can exert harmful effects and increase disease-causing oxidation. For this reason, everybody needs to check his/her homocysteine blood levels regularly.
Homocysteinuria - a toxic accumulation of homocysteine in the blood, is considered a strong, independent, modifiable risk factor for the development of vascular disease - heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders. (The New England Journal of Medicine 1991; 324:1149-55; 1997; 337:230-236). Toxic buildup of homocysteine becomes harmful to the blood vessel walls. It can cause
This foam cell "swells" to the point that it protrudes into the space of the artery and obstructs the blood trying to flow past, potentially resulting in a heart attack. Favoring heart disease, toxic homocysteine is much more dangerous than cholesterol, because it damages the artery and then oxidizes cholesterol before cholesterol infiltrates into the artery. In this way, homocysteine precedes the creation of atheromatous plaque. Therefore, homocysteine toxicity can explain many observations and has much more clear-cut scientific evidence than cholesterol-as-cause theory of atherosclerosis. The cholesterol as-a-cause for heart related conditions is strung with inconsistencies.
Theoretically - everybody! Not only those with a history of heart disease. Here is a list of researched conditions associated with elevated homocysteine levels:
There is also a strong homocysteine link to:
Additionally, those who suffer from these conditions, have already their liver, adrenals, and joints affected by toxic homocysteine. If you have a stressful lifestyle (who doesn't?) or poor eating and/or cooking habits; or if you don't exercise enough or too much, or if you take drugs regularly - you should know your homocysteine blood levels. It's possible that you have a problem with this natural and necessary, yet dangerous amino acid.
So, if you haven't checked your homocysteine yet, do it at your next physical checkup. And don't be afraid to ask your doctor for it! In the meantime, try to reduce your consumption of foods that contain dairy and processed and refined foods.
Supplementation of particular B vitamins, most notably folate (folic acid), B-6, B-12, and niacinamide (B-3), can protect heart and lower risk for disease by lowering homocysteine levels. Therefore, a diet rich in these vitamins can protect the heart. According to a Nurses' Health Study, for every 200 mcg of folate consumed daily, a woman's heart disease risk falls by 11 percent (even after adjusting for other risk factors). For every 2 mg increase in B-6 consumption, heart disease risk plummeted by 17 percent ( Rimm E. J Am Med Assoc Feb 4, 1998 ). According to this study, in order to cut heart disease, the daily intake of folate and B-6 should be much higher than the Recommended Daily Allowance (which is only 180 mcg folate and 1.6 mg B-6!). Those who consumed at least twice the RDA, from diet or supplements, had the lowest risk; in fact, their risk was almost cut in half. B-6 consumption greater than 1.6 mg daily can lower heart disease risk in men and women with normal homocysteine concentrations by 100 percent! Another B vitamin, niacinamide, increases the activity of enzymes needed to facilitate conversion of homocysteine to non-toxic substances. The functioning-properly homocysteine path also takes some stress off the adrenals. (In addition, vitamin C and pantothenic Acid (B-5) are crucial nutrients to both the homocysteine and adrenal gland support). The B vitamins are depleted by stress, excessive exercise and cooking. For example, boiling food for 25 minutes inactivates up to 40 percent of the vitamin B-12 content. Microwaving destroys just as much B-12 in only 6 minutes! (Watanabe F. Agri Food Chem January 1998). Further, many drugs deplete vitamin B-6, putting you at risk for not having enough protective factors against high homocysteine levels. These drugs include Aspirin, alcohol, antibiotics, some cholesterol drugs (eg. cholestyramine), some blood pressure drugs (eg. hydralizine-containg), some asthma medications (thephylline), and tuberculosis medication (isoniazid). In addition, birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy can deplete B-6 and folic acid, while corticosteroids deplete B-6, B-12, and folic acid, the three major B vitamins in the homocysteine pathway. The arterial damage, caused by homocysteine, is also linked to pre-eclampsia - the leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality. This kind of damage results in high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Women with pre-eclampsia or who had given birth to low-birth weight babies usualy have much higher homocysteine levels ( Am J Obst Gyn 1998; 135-39). For this reason, the American Heart Association issued an advisory recommending adequate intake of B-6 and folic acid for those with a history of heart disease and elevated homocysteine levels.
Betaine, found in high amounts in red beet root, has proven to be susccessful in lowering homocysteine levels. Responsible for the red color of beets, it is involved in methionine metabolism, stimulating one of the key enzymes in the pathway that makes homocysteine non-toxic. Betaine is so useful that it can help those who are not responsive to other treatments ( NEJM 1983; 309;448-453). Trimethylglycine along with dimethylglycine found in betaine, help facilitate the pathway, so that homocysteine is metabolized correctly. Also N-acetyl cysteine, along with glutathione and grape seed extract, are known to help reduce homocysteine levels.
An essential trace mineral, molybdenum, plays an important role in enzyme reactions involved in the homocysteine pathway. If there is not enough molybdenum to take the toxic sulfite molecule to the non-toxic and beneficial molecule, a build-up of toxic sulfite can have disastrous effect on the body. Zinc and magnesium are important minerals and cofactors in enzyme reactions of the homocysteine pathway. Additionally, zinc is a cofactor for antioxidant enzymes (it fights free radicals which damage cells). Magnesium is needed for glucose metabolism, which provides important building blocks of cartilage and joint repair.
The following Standard Process Supplements contain the above mentioned vitamins and minerals: B6-Niacinamide, Betafood ®, Folic Acid - B12, Magnesium Lactate, Zinc Liver Chelate, and Catalyn (Cyroplex)®. These can be purchased at our on-line store.
Folic acid is found in dark green vegetables, dried beans/legumes, wheat germ, citrus fruits, tomatoes, avocado, artichokes, sunflower seeds, and enriched grain products. To help assure adequate intake of folic acid, strive to include five or more servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day. Vitamin B6 is found in high levels in fish, chicken,
pork, eggs, soy beans, oats, peanuts, walnuts, unmilled rice, and
whole-wheat products.
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Bypass
surgery costs the patient approximately $30,000-$40,000. There are
also risks (3%-9% mortality rate during or after surgery).
