Here Is What Happens When Homocysteine Is High
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- Are you confused about what happens if homocysteine is high? Maybe you have heard it doesn't really matter or maybe you heard it's really important. In this article, we look at some of the impacts of high homocysteine on human health. Specifically we look at the role of the homocysteine molecule on the cardiovascular system and what the research says about this.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NB...
First we want to look at what is homocysteine. Homocysteine is a molecule that we can measure in your blood. This molecule can inform us about things like B12 and folate levels. It's a reflection of whether or not you are deficient in these vitamins. It's also a reflection of your overall protein intake and the inflammation occurring in your body. Protein is made up of amino acids and two of these amino acid are methionine and cystine. Both of these are important precursors and byproducts of homocysteine. So that, if you don't have enough protein, you will have low homocysteine levels. People that eat a lower protein or more vegetarian-based diet may have naturally lower homocysteine levels.
In terms of inflammation, sometimes when you have of inflammation in your body, your homocysteine can get converted into cysteine to make glutathione. Glutathione can help lower the overall inflammation in your body and neutralize some of that inflammation that's occurring. Typically though, high homocysteine reflects a deficiency in the B vitamins stated above, like B12 and folate. We will talk more specifics about the folate and B12 below. Back to our question, what happens if homocysteine is high?
There are definitely consequences to a deficiency in these B vitamins. Changes occur from chronic vitamins deficiencies, but that's not what this article is about. Instead, we want to look specifically at what happens from the homocysteine molecule. When homocysteine molecule is elevated does this molecule have a negative detrimental effect on the body? To understand this, we can look at the research to understand the relationship between high homocysteine and human health. First, what constitutes a high homocysteine?
Different laboratories will have different reference ranges for homocysteine. First off you want to make sure to measure your homocysteine in a fasted state, for about 10-12 hours. As far as values, some labs will cut off at 10 micromoles per liter and others will cut it off at 12 or even 15 micromoles per liter. In order to have a designation of hyper-homocystinemia, which is high homocysteine in your blood, your level has to be above 15 micromoles per liter. This is just the specific diagnostic criteria for hyper-homocystinemia. I like to see homocysteine between 7 and 9. What does the research say about high homocysteine and the impact of high homocysteine? Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with increased cardiovascular events like coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke and even increased blood clots. These associations and evidence seem strongest for high homocysteine with stroke. One would think that treating high homocysteine with vitamins that lower homocysteine would decrease the risk for stroke and some of decrease the risk for stroke and some of these other cardiovascular issues.
Indeed some studies do find this. For instance, there's been clear evidence of lowering homocysteine decreasing cardiovascular risk in patients with really high homocysteine levels. These are extremely high homocysteine levels like in the 20s and higher. Still many studies don't find a reduced risk in cardiovascular disease from treating high homocysteine levels for instance high homocysteine levels. For instance there's a meta-analysis by the American Heart Association that showed lowering homocysteine levels did not significantly reduce reduce the risk for stroke and had a non-significant impact on coronary artery disease. So the study found a mild a trend on reducing coronary artery disease but there are problems with this meta-analysis. We will discuss this below.
Here is my take on what happens if homocysteine is high. The association between high homocysteine and cardiovascular risk, especially stroke, should not be ignored. The common reason cited for high homocysteine levels is when you have a genetic alteration in the MTHFR enzyme. This enzyme converts folic acid enzyme into methylfolate, the active form. When there's a genetic alteration in mthfr, your body literally cannot make the methylfolate. However, the methyl folate is needed in order to convert homocysteine into something else called methionine. In other words, when you have this gene alteration, taking all the folic acid in the world will not help lower your homocysteine. It really won't lower it at all if you have genetic genetic alteration in mthfr. In fact there's some suggestion that it may make it worse. - Věda a technologie
Thank you Doctor
Mine is at a 5 year high at 78. Low folate, low b12, and D3 even while supplementing. Where do I go from here? MTHFR both defects, and Von Willenbrans blood disorder. Any ideas where I should go from here?
Im no expert but been following utube video methylation, mthfr and histamine. Around 23 to 25 m is a chart showing two ways to methylate, methyl b vits (b6, b9, b12) and choline/ betaine route. Plus glycine as by product to increase if b9 ineffective
Was wondering if you can shed some light on rising homocysteine levels. In 2018 mine was 10.3 and today it is 11.9. Is this a concerning rise in 5 years. I am waiting for other thyroid lab results to come in. My medical doctor is not too keen on ordering labs other than the basics so I am OOP on these tests. Any other tests I should check? Thanks for your video.
I was told in 2017, I had very low folate levels. I was recommended to take MethylPro. On and off since then I have taken it. I even tried Quatrefolic for a month since it was a tad cheaper but due to comfort I reordered the MethylPro. I am curious about more information regarding what taking these supplements do to the body and if you have recommendations on what would be safest? I am trying to get as close to natural as possible. I got my folate levels tested last month after being off the supplement for one week and my results were HIGH folate. I sometimes feel cognitively weird I have always had high stress and I am trying to heal myself. I have been to doctors and often they do not know much about the Methylation process at all. I am trying to find out why I have inflammation in some places . I have read that the Gene mutation causes enlarged red blood cells and I am curious if taking the L-5 methyl folate could be masking any other conditions going on.
Hi Taylor, high folate in blood does not mean you don’t need methylfolate or other folate, especially if u were taking when u did the test. Check out my other videos on methylfolate side effects. You have several good questions that might be more helpful to do a video on.
Thankyou doctor.
Your welcome
My homocysteine is 14 so its high, I paid out of pocket to have it checked (along with a panel of cardiac tests) my PCP didn't think the test was important she wouldn't even view the results. So now I'm out there in la la land trying to figure out what I do now with this information? I just hit menopause and am wondering if it could be elevated based on that my triglycerides skyrocketed during the meno transition but have settled down to WNL ? I'm planning on going on HRT to deal with other symptoms but if high homocysteine is a risk for blood clots does taking HRT then increase that risk further. Can I take any supplements? I should also mention I am a migraine suffer and from what I read that can also be a symptom of high homocysteine
Well that’s a lot going on and sounds like you could use a functional or naturopathic doctor to help you navigate that. I have several videos on high homocysteine that can also help. Good luck 👍
Can you make a video discussing the relationship between elevated homocysteine and Alzheimer's risk?
It's coming in a few weeks
Also where does one go to look at their whole system
This does not exist as a single test.
TMG - Trimethylglycine. Not too much or your mood will change. Methyl B12 under the tounge as well.
Hello Dr...i am anshu from india...i have pain in my left chest area and also in armpit and uper back...my echo is normal and also my ct angiography is normal ok report but still i have pain..its been 16 months now yeah i chkd my homocysteine its high 48.7 and hs crp is 2.72 and my ldl is 155 cholesterol is 215..and my folic acid is hogh 10 and also my b12 is ok 221..
Don’t think I can help with that one
I have a value of 20 (should be lower than 15). Is that super dangerous?
Above 15its dangerous it van create clot in heart {heart attack}
Relax 20 is nothing, don't listen to Wana be fake advises....
Dude I’m freaking I’m at 18 & feel like I’m at a huge risk of stroke I was good on everything
except bili tot & Homocysteine 😭
I can’t sleep , now I’m so scared I’m literally walking everywhere holding ,
my baby aspirin just waiting for it to happen
What about taking b6 and serine to lower homocysteine ?
B6 can serine does not
@@swintegrative what if you have high levels of b12 over 30% the high limit and b6 2x high limit but high homocysteien 14.7
@@bzavera folate b12 and b6 are the three variables.
- you should take the vit B12 type - Methylcobalamin - and it works
Actually, Serine might do something.
From PubMed! titled:
"Suppression of Methionine-Induced Hyperhomocysteinemia by Glycine and Serine in Rats"
I would look for methylated forms of Folate (not Folic Acid) and B12.
Although, I didn't look into this for reducing Homocysteine. But for how Methion restriction mimics Calorie Restriction.
And how Glycine makes high Methionine look like it's restricted.
Homocysteine and Methionine has a path which look circular, and both bad for us. But Glycine might do something about it.
Serine and Glycine are somewhat interchangeable.
I'm still learning about this, though!
Good info, bad audio!
thanks for the feedback
I actually got homocysteine checked as part of b vitamins and some other stuff work up from psychiatrist, and it was in the 3s. He said that in all the people he has ever tested it was either high or normal, never low. He gave me a supplement to supplement the cysteine pathway in the production of glutathione.
What do you think have you ever seen patients with low levels of homocysteine?
Yep, usually from low protein or inflammation. Cystine supplement may be appropriate. You have to check it in a fasted state though.
Hey, what supplement were you given?
took in fasted state as part add on to normal panel ( lipid, CBC, TSH, complete metabolic, etc).
I take NAC 900MG twice daily
Being a vegan, am I at a increased risk for high homocysteine?
It depends. If you have low levels of folate or b12 then you run a risk of developing higher homocysteine levels. As a vegan it's unlikely you will have low folate levels since a lot of plant based foods have plenty of folate in them. But you need to make sure to supplement b12 either from cyanocobalamin supplement or duckweed (which is a plant based source of b12).
If you take care of your b12 and folate needs you should have EVEN lower homocysteine levels than non-vegans as this doctor states!
However in the rare event your body has a genetic mutation/disorder, you may need to not only add b12 to your diet but supplement with creatine. So if your homocysteine levels are still high after addressing your b12 needs, make sure to add some creatine monohydrate to your diet and that should take care of it!
Thank you kindly. I am supplementing with 1000 mcg daily right now. Enough? Too much?
@@bradstell2146 i think that's a lot if you take that dose once a day. You could slice the tablet in half and take each half twice a day instead. I recommend the channel 'nutritionfacts' by Michael Gregger, because of the plant-based approach advice and guidelines he provides.
For example, I learned in one of his videos that your absorption of b12 is multiplied if you chew the tablet thoroughly after a meal! Something about the bacteria in one's teeth helping to break down the b12 to a form our enzymes can help absorb into our bodies better.
That way I only take a 500mcg tablet that I chew and let sit on my mouth for a while without rinsing or swallowing immediately to allow the effect take place.
Also animal protein is higher in methionine/ homocysteine.
@bradstell2146
It seems that about 400 mcg of B12 has the lowest mortality risk.
Although less than 200 mcg begins to be worse than to high.
The RDA is only something like 4 mcg, though!
The liver stores a couple of mg B12, so vegitarians can go without it for years , feeling nothing, and then get irrevesible nerve damage.
Too much can't be that dangerous!
I would utilize methylated forms of B12 and folate.
Low sound quality
Mine is at 29.9 I’m 32 yo female idk what that means tho lol
If it’s always like that then it is high and usually some vitamin deficiency. Other things can cause this but that’s the most common.
Have your doctor check if you are Homozygous for MTHFR. Consistently high readings can be due to a methylation issue. It can be other things, but a lot of people with high readings do have MTHFR.
Have you found any help for those levels?
@@user-vr9cb1hm2h, Yeah. I had 34 and now I'm between 10 and 11. My doctor, Who is an endocrinologist specialized in metabolic issues, says it's enough and doesn't want me on more supplements. My root problem is I'm heterozygous in a particular mutation in the CBS gene (there are lots, all of them rare, differently from MTHFR). What I take dayly is:
- 0,8 g TMG 3 times a day.
- 1,5 g Glycine 3 times a day
- 0,4 g NAC 3 times a day
- 1 g Choline (only if I don't este eggs that day)
- 25 mg p-5-p (methylated B6)
- 1000 mcg methylated B9 or 2000 (alterned)
- 2500 mcg methylated B12.