A while back I was talking with Jim Roberts, M.D., an integrative cardiologist and my co-author for Reverse Heart Disease Now—and we both shared that we have we have low homocysteine levels. That may sound like good news given the well-documented danger of high homocysteine.

But the truth is, when it comes to homocysteine low levels can be just as dangerous as high. The reason is that an abnormal homocysteine level—either too high or too low—creates biochemical imbalances that can impact many aspects of healthy body functions.

Too much homocysteine can cause vascular inflammation, arterial disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile, too little homocysteine can promote oxidative stress, limit the body’s capacity to deal with certain kinds of toxins, and cause the overproduction of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and potentially neurotoxic sulfites.

If you suspect you may have a homocysteine abnormality, ask your doctor to order a homocysteine test (it’s a simple blood test) that will confirm your level. An optimal homocysteine level is 7–10 umol/L, and anything less or more than that range should be addressed.

For High Homocysteine: I suggest taking 800 mcg of folic acid, 40 mg of vitamin B6, and 200 mcg of vitamin B12 daily. If this doesn’t work (because of the genetic defect), you can consider switching to a methyl folate supplement, such as metafolin, the most highly bioavailable form of folic acid (not to be confused with the diabetes medication Metformin). I normally recommend 800 mcg daily.

If metafolin doesn’t normalize your homocysteine, you can add oral B12 in the form of methylcobalamin (2–5 mg daily).

For Low Homocysteine: Individuals with a low homocysteine level like mine usually have high levels of sulfate in the urine. You can test your own urine sulfate at home by using the simple “dip stick” strips manufactured by the Merck Company based in Germany (not to be confused with the U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck). A 100-strip container of the Sulfate (SO42-) Test can be purchased for $55 from Holistic Health International.

Low homocysteine and high urine sulfate suggests that you would also benefit from changing to a primarily vegan diet and cutting back on foods rich in sulfur compounds. To the extent you can, you should also limit drugs and nutritional supplements that contain large amounts of sulfur.

Now it’s your turn: Have you had your homocysteine level checked?
 

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