Homocysteine

Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by the body, generally as a byproduct of consuming meat. Homocysteine is made from another amino acid, methionine.

Monitoring homocysteine levels is important since elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood appear to increase risk of cardiovascular disease.  Homocysteine is known to damage blood vessels by injuring the cells that line arteries and stimulate growth of smooth muscle cells.  Homocysteine can also interfere with normal blood clotting mechanisms, increasing the risk of clots that can cause a stroke or heart attack. 

Concern for homocysteine as a cardiovascular risk factor dates back to 1969 when Dr. Kilmer S. McCully discovered that children born with a genetic error of metabolism called homocystinuria that causes the homocysteine levels to be abnormally high occasionally died at a very young age with advanced arterial disease.  The importance of homocysteine in cardiovascular disease was overshadowed by medical and public attention to cholesterol until the 1990's.

A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine also found that elevated levels of homocysteine also increased the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Homocysteine related topics: Betaine, Elevated Homocysteine,
Homocysteine, Trymethylglycine

Homocysteine Nutraceutical Products: Methylate