Homocysteine (Hcy) is an amino acid that is not used directly by the body but must be converted into cysteine and taurine, which are important amino acids for the heart, liver and glutathione production¹.  If Hcy is not broken down, its level can increase and pose a number of health risks, including increased risks for cardiovascular disease^{(2, 3)} and a doubling of risk for Alzheimer Disease⁴.

 

When looking at how elevated Hcy levels are associated with an increased risk of stroke⁵ and Alzheimer disease⁶, research has started to focus on both blood vessel and nerve cell health.  Now a new study⁷ has found that high homocysteine levels do indeed play a role in brain and blood vessel health.

 

In the study, nearly 2,000 patients (average age of 59) participating in the Framingham Health Study⁸ underwent an MRI and had their Hcy levels measured.  The MRI scans were read by medical professionals who did not know the patients’ age, sex, Hcy levels and exposure to stroke risk factors.  The researchers calculated brain volumes of different parts of the brain using mathematical models applied in previous research⁹.

 

The researchers found “a strong, independent, cross-sectional association” between higher Hcy levels and lower total brain volume, as well as “an increased risk” of mini-strokes (called “subclinical infarcts” (SBI)) for patients with the highest blood levels of Hcy (14.3 micromoles per Liter) compared to those with the lowest Hcy levels (6.5 micromoles/Liter).  Specifically, white matter measurements were decreased by 13% while SBI measurements were increased by 51% in the highest Hcy group compared to the lowest Hcy group. These findings agreed with previous research regarding Hcy levels and both stroke¹⁰ and SBI¹¹.

 

For the researchers, “our findings suggest that [Hcy levels] may have a sustained role in the changes of brain aging and dementia, affecting not only the incidence of…stroke and dementia…but also the prevalence of subclinical brain MRI changes in an apparently healthy population.”

 

Natural ways to support healthy levels of Hcy include increasing your intake of B-vitamins to help with both heart health¹² and mental health¹³.  Studies in 2006¹⁴, 2007¹⁵, and 2008¹⁶ have found that B-vitamins like folic acid support healthy Hcy levels. 

Vitamin B-12¹⁷ and choline¹⁸ have also been found to support healthy Hcy levels.

 

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com

 

Reference:

 

¹  LEF (2003). Life Extension Foundation's Guide to Disease Prevention and Treament, Life Extension Media. Fourth Edition. p. 419-421

²  Towfighi A.  Factors Associated with the Steep Increase in Late Midlife Stroke Occurrence among US Men.  Jou Stroke Crebrovasc Dis 2008; 17(4): 165-168

 

³  Towfighi A.  Factors Associated with the Steep Increase in Late Midlife Stroke Occurrence among US Men.  Jou Stroke Crebrovasc Dis 2008; 17(4): 165-168

 

⁴  “High Homocysteine Levels May Double Risk of Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, New Report Suggests” posted on www.nih.gov/news/pr/feb2002/nia-13.htm

 

⁵  Bostom AG, Rosenberg IH, Silbershatz H; et al. Nonfasting plasma total homocysteine levels and stroke incidence in elderly persons: the Framingham Study. Ann Intern Med. 1999;131(5):352-355

 

⁶  Seshadri S, Beiser A, Selhub J; et al. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(7):476-483

 

⁷  Seshadri S.  Association of Plasma Total Homocysteine Levels With Subclinical Brain Injury.   Arch Neurol.2008; 65: 642-49

 

⁸  Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Stallones L, Kannel WB, Castelli WP, McNamara PM. A comparison of blood pressure, total cholesterol and cigarette smoking in parents in 1950 and their children in 1970. Am J Epidemiol. 1979;110(3):291-303

 

⁹  DeCarli C, Maisog J, Murphy DG, Teichberg D, Rapoport SI, Horwitz B. Method for quantification of brain, ventricular, and subarachnoid CSF volumes from MR images. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1992;16(2):274-284

 

¹⁰  Eikelboom JW, Hankey GJ, Anand SS, Lofthouse E, Staples N, Baker RI. Association between high homocyst(e)ine and ischemic stroke due to large- and small-artery disease but not other etiologic subtypes of ischemic stroke. Stroke. 2000;31(5):1069-1075

 

¹¹  Matsui T, Arai H, Yuzuriha T; et al. Elevated plasma homocysteine levels and risk of silent brain infarction in elderly people. Stroke. 2001;32(5):1116-1119

 

¹²  Spence JD.  Vitamin Intervention For Stroke Prevention trial: an efficacy analysis.  Stroke. 2005 Nov; 36(11):2404-9. Epub 2005 Oct 20

 

¹³  Tucker, K. L., N. Qiao, et al. (2005). "High homocysteine and low B vitamins predict cognitive decline in aging men: the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study." Am J Clin Nutr 82(3): 627-35

¹⁴  Wald DS.  Folic acid, homocysteine, and cardiovascular disease: judging causality in the face of inconclusive trial evidence. BMJ  2006;333:1114-1117 (25 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.39000.486701.68

 

¹⁵  Wang X.  Efficacy of folic acid supplementation in stroke prevention: a meta-analysis.  The Lancet 2007; 369(9576):1876-1882

 

¹⁶  Larsson SC.  Folate, Vitamin B₆, Vitamin B₁₂, and Methionine Intakes and Risk of Stroke Subtypes in Male Smokers.  American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published on February 12, 2008. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm395

 

¹⁷  Hermann W.  Vitamin B-12 status, particularly holotranscobalamin II and methylmalonic acid concentrations, and hyperhomocysteinemia in vegetarians.  Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 78(1): 131-6

 

¹⁸  Zylberstein, D. E., C. Bengtsson, et al. (2004). "Serum homocysteine in relation to mortality and morbidity from coronary heart disease: a 24-year follow-up of the population study of women in Gothenburg." Circulation 109(5): 601-6