Is homocysteine killing you?

Homocysteine is an amino acid that you need for normal cellular function, but too much of it can kill you - and you may not even know it's happening.

High blood levels of homocysteine are implicated in a number of serious, life-threatening illnesses. While the dangers of elevated homocysteine are well known, not all doctors test for it. If you have high levels or you're not sure and would like to take a precautionary measure, there's an ordinary supplement that may help.

High homocysteine levels can deteriorate your entire body
If you've been diagnosed with high homocysteine levels, you may be damaging your arteries, kidneys, heart, immune system, joints, nerves and tissues. You'll also increase your chances of having a stroke or getting cancer. And, you'll be aging faster. Not a pretty picture!

There are several ways to reduce homocysteine, including pharmaceutical drugs. However, they can be expensive and come with a buffet of unpleasant side effects. If you'd like a less-drastic method - but just as effective, try plain old vitamin B.

You're eating less B vitamins than ever before
Vitamin B was commonly found on every grocer's shelf - in bread, but modern man's love of white bread, which is virtually devoid of nutrient value, helped put an end to nutritious breads. Bleached flour is nothing more than simple carbs accompanied by a very low level of artificial vitamins that are inadequate for maintaining good health.

Even if you eat whole wheat bread, you may not be getting sufficient B vitamins. In this low-carb world, most of us don't eat as much bread as our great-grandparents did. Even if we did, you wouldn't get enough B vitamins. Today's food has a lower nutrient value due to topsoil erosion, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, acid rain and environmental toxins.

If you're under stress, your body has an even greater need for vitamin B. Just getting older also robs you of vitamins because your digestive system doesn't function like a teenager. Poorer digestion results in fewer nutrients being extracted.

25 percent reduction in heart attacks & more with vitamin B
Imagine taking a harmless pill that could reduce your chance of heart attack by 25 percent. According to Austrian doctors at the Universitatsklinik für Herzchirurgie in Salzburg, that's exactly what vitamin B will do for you. They found that reducing homocysteine levels could prevent up to 25 percent of "cardiovascular events." They suggested taking vitamins B6 and B12 because "supplementation is inexpensive, potentially effective, and devoid of adverse effects," giving it "an exceptionally favorable benefit/risk ratio."

The Framingham Heart Study is a long-running study conducted on a large population. It is highly respected in the medical community, as it gives immense insight into the connection between diet, exercise, lifestyle and health. Researchers at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging found that study participants had an increased risk of occlusive extracranial carotid stenosis (closing or collapsing of the carotid artery) if they had high levels of homocysteine, which could be "attributed to vitamin status," specifically vitamins B6 and B12.

Even if you take just vitamin B12, you can expect to lower your homocysteine levels up to 15 percent, according British doctors at the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit at Oxford University. Their conclusions are based on reviewing clinical studies involving 20,000 subjects.

It's generally not a good idea to take only one of the B vitamins as a supplement, because it can throw your vitamin B balance off kilter. It's best to take a supplement that has all the B vitamins in it.

I've been taking inexpensive B-100 complex vitamins for over 40 years. Many people prefer to take brewer's yeast, as it's rich in vitamin B. That's a great way to take it (not expensive, either), although I find it's not always convenient and may cause digestive upset.

Below is a link to the brand I take.



Additional sources:
Z Kardiol. 2004 Jun;93(6):439-53
Kidney Int. 2000 Aug;58(2):851-8.
Public Health Rev. 2000;28(1-4):117-45
Semin Vasc Med. 2005 May;5(2):215-22

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I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
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