Homocysteine is an amino acid that is found normally in the body. Recent studies suggest that high blood levels of this substance may increase a person’s chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and reduced blood flow to the hands and feet.
It is believed that high levels of Homocysteine may damage the arteries, make the blood more likely to clot, and/or make blood vessels less flexible. Elevated serum Homocysteine, a newly recognized and highly significant risk factor for coronary artery and other vascular diseases has been established during the last decade.
In a comparison with traditional risk fact for cardio-vascular disease, elevation of serum Homocysteine was found to be a greater risk factor. Most heart attack victims have normal cholesterol levels. In a recent study of patients with early-onset arteriosclerosis, elevated homocysteine levels proved to be a more precise marker of heart disease, than elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or cigarette smoking.
Patients with elevated homocysteine levels were twenty to forty times more likely to progress to arteriosclerosis. Recent research also shows that the level of Homocysteine in the blood is affected by the consumption of three vitamins–folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12. People who consume less than the recommended daily amounts of these vitamins are more likely to have higher Homocysteine levels.