21st July 2004
Homocysteine is an amino acid normally found in small amounts in the blood. However, high levels of homocysteine in the blood may promote plaque buildup in blood vessels that may, over time, lead to serious cardiovascular problems.
High levels of homocysteine in the blood may increase your risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent coronary artery disease. Elevated homocysteine levels may also damage the lining of blood vessels, which may lead to the formation of blood clots; these, in turn, may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack (myocardial infarction), and pulmonary embolism. Also, increased homocysteine levels may promote the formation of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs (called deep venous thrombosis, or DVT).
Blood levels of homocysteine may increase if your diet does not provide an adequate amount of B vitamins, such as folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. You can lower high levels of homocysteine in the blood by increasing your dietary intake of these B vitamins. For example, adequate intake of grain products enriched with folic acid has helped lower homocysteine levels in some people. However, the exact amount of B vitamins needed to prevent high homocysteine levels in the blood is not known.
In addition to dietary deficiency of B vitamins, other factors that may increase your blood homocysteine level include:
A family history of elevated blood homocysteine.
Age. Blood homocysteine levels rise with age in both men and women.
Gender. Blood homocysteine levels are higher in men than in women. The reason for this is not totally understood but may be related to differences in muscle mass, hormones, or kidney function.
Kidney disease. The level of homocysteine in the blood increases in kidney disease because the kidneys do not properly filter homocysteine from the blood.
Medication use. Certain medications increase blood homocysteine levels. These medications include anticonvulsants (such as phenytoin), methotrexate, cyclosporine, levodopa, theophylline, niacin, and cholestyramine.
Having homocystinuria. Homocystinuria is a rare hereditary disease that causes a deficiency of an enzyme needed to prevent the build up of homocysteine in the blood.
It is unclear whether elevated homocysteine levels alone increases your risk for heart disease. Your overall risk factors for heart disease must be evaluated along with your homocysteine levels.
Homocysteine testing may be most valuable in evaluating the overall risk of heart disease for people who have a strong personal or family history of heart disease but who do not have other risk factors that can be controlled, such as smoking or high blood pressure. It also may be helpful for people who have early coronary artery disease without known risk factors and for people who have unexplained deep vein thrombosis.
Normal
Normal values may vary from lab to lab.
Homocysteine 4–17 micromoles per liter (µmol/L)
Greater-than-normal values
A high blood level of homocysteine may indicate that your diet is deficient in folic acid, vitamin B6, or vitamin B12.
An increased homocysteine level may be the result of homocystinuria, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, or certain cancers.
Lower-than-normal values
Diabetes can cause decreased homocysteine levels
VLDL Cholesterol = (Triglycerides / 5) Normal is 10-31. Diabetes or obesity can caused high vldl.
Your doctor will certainly help you decide whether your cholesterol levels are ok or can be lowered by lifestyle changes and diet or need drug treatment. IMHO, they look pretty good to me.
High levels of homocysteine in the blood may increase your risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent coronary artery disease. Elevated homocysteine levels may also damage the lining of blood vessels, which may lead to the formation of blood clots; these, in turn, may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack (myocardial infarction), and pulmonary embolism. Also, increased homocysteine levels may promote the formation of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs (called deep venous thrombosis, or DVT).
Blood levels of homocysteine may increase if your diet does not provide an adequate amount of B vitamins, such as folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. You can lower high levels of homocysteine in the blood by increasing your dietary intake of these B vitamins. For example, adequate intake of grain products enriched with folic acid has helped lower homocysteine levels in some people. However, the exact amount of B vitamins needed to prevent high homocysteine levels in the blood is not known.
In addition to dietary deficiency of B vitamins, other factors that may increase your blood homocysteine level include:
A family history of elevated blood homocysteine.
Age. Blood homocysteine levels rise with age in both men and women.
Gender. Blood homocysteine levels are higher in men than in women. The reason for this is not totally understood but may be related to differences in muscle mass, hormones, or kidney function.
Kidney disease. The level of homocysteine in the blood increases in kidney disease because the kidneys do not properly filter homocysteine from the blood.
Medication use. Certain medications increase blood homocysteine levels. These medications include anticonvulsants (such as phenytoin), methotrexate, cyclosporine, levodopa, theophylline, niacin, and cholestyramine.
Having homocystinuria. Homocystinuria is a rare hereditary disease that causes a deficiency of an enzyme needed to prevent the build up of homocysteine in the blood.
It is unclear whether elevated homocysteine levels alone increases your risk for heart disease. Your overall risk factors for heart disease must be evaluated along with your homocysteine levels.
Homocysteine testing may be most valuable in evaluating the overall risk of heart disease for people who have a strong personal or family history of heart disease but who do not have other risk factors that can be controlled, such as smoking or high blood pressure. It also may be helpful for people who have early coronary artery disease without known risk factors and for people who have unexplained deep vein thrombosis.
Normal
Normal values may vary from lab to lab.
Homocysteine 4–17 micromoles per liter (µmol/L)
Greater-than-normal values
A high blood level of homocysteine may indicate that your diet is deficient in folic acid, vitamin B6, or vitamin B12.
An increased homocysteine level may be the result of homocystinuria, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, or certain cancers.
Lower-than-normal values
Diabetes can cause decreased homocysteine levels
VLDL Cholesterol = (Triglycerides / 5) Normal is 10-31. Diabetes or obesity can caused high vldl.
Your doctor will certainly help you decide whether your cholesterol levels are ok or can be lowered by lifestyle changes and diet or need drug treatment. IMHO, they look pretty good to me.