Homocysteine Cardiovascular

Homocysteine cardiovascular disease is in fact the underlying cause of many illnesses. You do not have to be an organic-chemistry major to find value in this page.

Why is this substance so implicated in a host of sicknesses? This page could equally easily be named after stroke, Parkinson's disease and many other conditions such as osteoporosis caused by this naturally-formed but toxic byproduct of protein metabolism.

It is a naturally-occurring intermediate that is formed in the body from the breakdown of methionine which is rich in many foods that we eat on a daily basis; dairy, fish and meat.

Seeds and grains too are protein-sources containing methionine.

Homocysteine Cardiovascular Disease

This page was last updated by Bernard Preston on 6th February, 2026.

The essential amino-acid Methionine

Methionine is deficient in legumes so in our hummus recipe, for example, we boost its content by the addition of a sesame-seed paste called tahini. It is an "essential" amino acid in protein metabolism; a deficiency causes a very serious disease called kwashiorkor.

No human can survive without methionine from their food.

Vegans must balance their proteins to ensure that they contain all the essential amino-acids. On the plus side they tend to eat plenty of the foods rich in the vitamins and minerals needed for methionine metabolism; they just have to make sure they get enough of it from whole grains.

Methionine is found in roughly equal amounts in the bran and germ of oats and wheat in particular; most is removed in the refining process.

In normal metabolism, homocysteine is immediately converted in the body into two very important substances. It happens via a process called "methylation."

A "methyl" group consists of a single carbon atom combined to three hydrogens.

Transfer of this group of atoms from one molecule to another is called "methylation." It is so important but cannot occur if impeded by a diet deficient in betaine, certain minerals and vitamins.

• What is betaine?
  

Glutathione and SAMe

1. GLUTATHIONE is a very powerful anti-oxidant and detoxifying chemical in the body; it prevents premature aging.

• It keeps you young and slows the aging process of your body. But for this to happen, we require high levels of zinc; and vitamins B2 and B6. Without them the enzymes that convert homocysteine to glutathione are inhibited, and the concentration of this toxic methionine-intermediate in the blood rises.

2. SAMe is a powerful anti-arthritic chemical in the body; and it helps prevent depression. It is involved in the production of the neurotransmitters in the brain; the chemicals involved in mood, for example, memory and how well you sleep.

• But the conversion of toxic HOMOCYSTEINE to SAMe by enzymes requires adequate vitamin B2, B12 and Folate; and zinc. If these co-factors are not present in adequate quantities, you guessed it the levels in the blood increase; that is indeed bad.

B2, B12 and folate

The B complex vitamins are essential for the conversion of homocysteine to glutathione and SAMe; whole grains, eggs and your greens.

Let's acknowledge that whole grain consumption is very low; less than 8% of packaged foods in America. In fact they are extremely difficult to find on grocery store shelves; the exception is unpolished rice.

Give thought to purchasing a stone mill; it's the only reliable source of whole grains.

The American Cancer Association recommends a whole grain at every meal; and a legume too. Few people have that even once a day; so the prevalence of metastatic disease is soaring.

ACNE to ATHLETE'S FOOT

Whenever the scientific community comes across a treatment that claims to be able to cure everything in the body from acne to athlete's foot, it becomes very skeptical. As a result the discoverer of the toxic-effect of homocysteine was for decades left out in the medical wilderness.

Copy and paste "The H factor" into Site Search in the main menu above for more information.

Disclaimer

Homocysteine Cardiovascular Disease

The authors of the H-factor claim that high homocysteine levels in the blood are one of the chief causes of cardiovascular conditions, Alzheimer's disease and metastatic tumours; strokes, arthritis and more than 50 illnesses too.

Frankly I was skeptical too; until I discovered there are now over 200 research articles in highly-respected scientific journals confirming the toxic effect of high levels of homocysteine in the blood.

Here is an example; writing in the New England journal^[1] of medicine, researchers describe the association between homocysteine and narrowing of the carotid. Arterial-stenosis means not enough blood can get through, in this case to the brain. 

High levels of LDL cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, is very dangerous in the body; it is beyond dispute.

But high levels of homocysteine change the LDL into an even more dangerous form called oxidised cholesterol. This substance attacks the intima, the innermost layer of arteries, causing atherosclerosis. These walls then harden and thicken and macrophages begin to stick to them.

Furthermore high levels of homocysteine makes the blood clot form more readily than normal. The overall result is not enough oxygen to the brain and all organs, of course; and a high risk of stroke and cardiovascular-disease.

In short like diabetes and smoking, high homocysteine levels cause arterial disease. It means that every tissue in your body is under threat; acne to athlete's foot and baldness to ingrowing-toenails.

Why on this website?

There are several reasons. The first that comes to mind is that it is now proven that persons suffering from atherosclerosis will also experience more lower back-pain. Moreover they respond more slowly to all forms of treatment, simply because the lumbar arteries are blocked. Less blood means reduced oxygen and impeded healing.

Nutritious choice foods are simply delicious when freshly-prepared and cooked right; they are no longer optional.

Secondly whilst ours is a relatively safe profession and serious iatrogenic-illness events are very rare, patients with raised homocysteine and the associated atherosclerosis must be amongst the higher risk group.

• Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis
  

Metastatic disease

In tumours the cell's DNA is damaged in some way. Most scientists are leaning towards excessive oxidation by free-radicals as the main cause of this alteration of our genes.

The result is uncontrolled proliferation by the damaged DNA of the tissue affected; we become prone to profound metastatic disease.

GLUTATHIONE is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants in the body.

Not enough zinc and B vitamins causes a drop in the conversion of HOMOCYSTEINE to GLUTATHIONE leading to a double-disaster:

Low Gluthathione, the body's chief anti-oxidant means raised homocysteine; and consequent destruction of the intima of your arteries. You become seriously ill.

Organic green foods will take us a long way in getting sufficient of these important compounds needed for homocysteine degradation.

Diabetes and homocysteine

Type 2 diabetes is intimately involved with homocysteine cardiovascular illnesses as are many other diseases.

Parkinson's disease, dementia and depression

Poor homocysteine metabolism has huge repercussions in the body, affecting every tissue and organ.

Healthy homocysteine metabolism means you will probably have a normal cardiovascular profile; and likewise for fifty-plus other illnesses including dementia.

This is a vast subject; far too big for this page.

In fact it's too big for a whole website. If your are concerned, get tested; a simple blood prick.

Are you concerned about your HOMOCYSTEINE CARDIOVASCULAR profile? If you are enjoying foods containing these vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients on a regular basis, then you can relax.

Of Parkinson's disease we should be eating broad beans as they do in all five Blue Zones where strong and vital old age is the norm. These are the only source of large amounts of a phytonutrient called L-dopa, another potent antioxidant; it is especially enhanced by vitamin E found mainly in true wholegrain flour.

• My journey with broad beans
  

And the beta-cryptoxanthin in whole citrus is the most powerful phytonutrient known to prevent the onset of dementia. Limes, grapefruit or oranges should be on our platters daily; freezing lemon juice^[3] is how we make sure we can be certain all year round. In just 30 minutes you can pick and squeeze enough for a whole three months.

Homocysteine and osteoporosis

Research done on a large group of people from the Framingham Study found that men had four-times the risk of hip fracture and the ladies a 190pc increase if they had raised homocysteine.

Their conclusion was that the homocysteine concentration in the blood which is easily modifiable by simple dietary intervention, is an important risk-factor for hip fracture in the older person.^[2]

Researchers propose that raised homocysteine interferes with the cross-linking of collagen in bone, without actually affecting the density. This confirms the belief that our hips and vertebrae can be brittle without being osteoporotic.

• Homocysteine and hip fracture
  

Benefits of folate

The benefits of folate go far beyond homocysteine cardiovascular disease; for women just the prevention of spina-bifida and cleft palate is a good enough reason for them to enjoy their greens daily. Take a look at the lettuce's nutritional value.

Treatment of homocysteine cardiovascular diseases

Being a writer myself, I am not going to cheat James Braly and Patrick Holford of their paltry few cents that publishers pay authors for all their grind. Buy their book; it makes for compelling and easy reading. It's profound yet light.

In short if you are eating foods rich in the anti-oxidants then you are halfway there; all the coloured fruits, salads and almonds. If uncertain take a supplement rich in the B vitamins and zinc; then you are 80% sure of avoiding homocysteine cardiovascular disease. But there is risk from overdosing on pyridoxine, one of the causes of peripheral neuropathies.

• What is antioxidant good for?
  

Nevertheless scientists are now adamant that getting these important substances from our food is far superior to that from supplements. For the rest, read the book.

• Broccoli Facts reports on the queen of vegetables which is rich in two of the necessary vitamins required to break homocysteine down to Glutathione and SAMe. 
• Read about Eggs Florentine at our how to grow spinach page; the perfect source of another of those required vitamins, as well as B6 and folate. 
• High Folate levels
  

ANTI-OXIDANT FOODS

• Fresh spinach salad recipes
• Growing Butternut squash with a recipe for the soup
  
• Growing lettuce; full of that B9.
  

From the journals

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