What is a healthy homocysteine level?
In a healthy person, homocysteine levels are around five to 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L). Nearly all that homocysteine converts to other proteins. If you have more than 50 mcmol/L, the excess homocysteine may damage the lining of your arteries (blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body).
What is a high level of homocysteine?
A high homocysteine level, also called hyperhomocysteinemia, can contribute to arterial damage and blood clots in your blood vessels. High homocysteine levels usually indicate a deficiency in vitamin B-12 or folate. A normal level of homocysteine in the blood is less than 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L) of blood.
What is serum homocysteine test?
A homocysteine test measures the amount of homocysteine in your blood. Homocysteine is a type of amino acid, a chemical your body uses to make proteins. Normally, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folic acid break down homocysteine and change it into other substances your body needs.
What causes elevated homocysteine?
What causes raised homocysteine levels? Many factors are thought to raise levels of homocysteine; among them are poor diet, poor lifestyle especially smoking and high coffee and alcohol intake, some prescription drugs, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and poor thyroid function.
Does homocysteine increase with age?
Homocysteine levels increase with age, are higher in men than in women (9), and are influenced by renal function (10). Renal impairment raises plasma homocysteine levels by reducing homocysteine clearance (11).
Can stress raise homocysteine levels?
The study of 34 middle-aged women found that brief periods of stress increased blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Research over the past 20 years has found that an even moderately elevated level of homocysteine is a risk factor for heart disease in both men and women.
Does exercise lower homocysteine?
Conclusions. Current evidence demonstrates that acute exercise increases homocysteine levels in the blood independent of exercise duration and intensity. Resistance, but not aerobic training decreases plasma homocysteine levels.
How does homocysteine affect the brain?
Background High serum homocysteine (HCY) levels have been associated with thromboembolic cerebrovascular disease, but their relationship to microvascular disease is uncertain. Homocysteine also has a direct neurotoxic effect and has been linked to brain atrophy and an increased risk of Alzheimer disease.
Most commonly, an inadequate intake of B vitamins in combination with genetic factors can affect the body’s absorption and use of folic acid, which causes homocysteine levels to spike. Some other causes of elevated homocysteine levels include both stress and coffee consumption.
What does elevated homocysteine mean?
Elevated Homocysteine. What Is Elevated Homocysteine? Homocysteine is an amino acid and breakdown product of protein metabolism that, when present in high concentrations, has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Elevated homocysteine levels are thought to contribute to plaque formation by damaging arterial walls.
What is a high homocysteine level?
A high homocysteine level, also called hyperhomocysteinemia, can contribute to arterial damage and blood clots in your blood vessels. High homocysteine levels usually indicate a deficiency in vitamin B-12 or folate. A normal level of homocysteine in the blood is less than 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L) of blood.
What is the normal testosterone range?
The normal range of testosterone levels in healthy adult males is between 280 to 1,100 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), reports the University of Rochester Medical Center.