Another year has passed. Another candle is burning on the birthday cake. And just as the English saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away“ promises, you unfortunately cannot do it without medical support. Neither healthy eating nor regular exercise can replace a doctor's appointment for a check-up. Quite the opposite. The day of health reckoning is approaching again. Let's see whether last week's bar of chocolate, the glass of red wine after work or the lack of exercise will finally take its toll. But if you put everything on the scales, you are living quite healthily and feel quite fit. This is also confirmed by the doctor and the laboratory results. Most of the blood values are within the normal range. Phew, lucky! But there is a small catch. On the sample report, a value that is too high stands out: HomocysteineBut what is it anyway? Is it dangerous – and what can you do about it?
What is homocysteine.
Homocysteine is the successor to the dreaded cholesterol – at least as the top suspect on the black list of cardiovascular toxins. This intermediate product of metabolism actually has nothing to do with blood lipid levels: Homocysteine is a natural amino acid in the human body and is a derivative of the amino acid methionine In contrast to methionine, homocysteine is a non-proteinogenic molecule. This means that it is not encoded by DNA, i.e. copied, and thus does not form part of protein synthesis at the cellular level. Methionine, on the other hand, is an essential protein building block that is indispensable for many processes in our body. Since we cannot produce it ourselves, it must be supplied through food. If large amounts of methionine are ingested or processed, homocysteine is formed as an intermediate product. Okay, that sounds logical. But why is homocysteine dangerous if it occurs naturally and physiologically in our bodies?
Friend or foe.
As we have already learned, homocysteine is a stop in the waste transport of methionine. The molecule is temporarily deposited in various forms before it is then completely eliminated. The smallest part of homocysteine is available in the circulation as a pure amino acid, while the majority is bound to proteins or salts in the blood plasma. In this respect, our blood is like a "Inner Sea“. Too high a level of homocysteine in the blood plasma reduces the solubility of salt in the human ocean – according to the motto, too many cooks spoil the soup. This happens, for example, when the further degradation process does not work due to a lack of homocysteine-degrading enzymes. This can be quite problematic: A rare disease with extremely high homocysteine levels has long been known, which is called homocysteinuria (literally, Accumulation of homocysteine in urineIn these patients, the constantly elevated homocysteine level leads to early damage to the vessel walls and a pronounced development of arteriosclerosis and the formation of blood clots.
The chicken and egg problem.
However, it has been known for some time that even slightly elevated concentrations of homocysteine in the blood can be linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and vascular diseases such as stroke. An excess of homocysteine is therefore also considered an independent risk factor for dozens of age-related diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's or osteoporosis. A question that many scientists are now pondering is whether homocysteine is now just a marker or the direct culprit of these diseases. So, to put it simply, what came first? Chicken or egg – disease or homocysteine?
The exact way in which homocysteine causes damage has not yet been clarified. However, recent research results suggest that the substance can have a toxic effect in three main ways. On the one hand, through modifications of protein structures and thus their function, or on the other hand, through the induction of oxidative stress. In addition, it can lead to the death of neuronal cells through so-called excitotoxicity, i.e. harmful overstimulation of the nerve cell. Overall, however, researchers agree that homocysteine is an important indicator of general health.
What this means for us.
In principle, homocysteine, together with other cellular changes associated with aging, can contribute to the development of cellular dysfunction. It is therefore definitely worth checking your homocysteine levels regularly. Fasting blood levels between 5 and 15 micromoles per liter are considered "normal," and a level of less than 10 micromoles per liter is considered optimal. However, around half of all 50-year-olds are above this and are therefore in the red zone. Overall, according to epidemiological studies, around five to seven percent of the population have slightly elevated homocysteine levels.
Where does it come from? Just as homocysteine is formed from methionine in normal metabolism, it can be remethylated back to methionine. Normally, two regulatory mechanisms ensure that homocysteine is completely converted: a vitamin-dependent pathway as well as one with the help of betaines.
Two paths, one goal.
The vitamin-dependent route only works, of course, if both Vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and folic acid are present in sufficient quantities. If just one of these vitamins is missing, the breakdown is already significantly impaired. There are a variety of reasons for a deficiency in the three vitamins mentioned: Firstly, many people still eat too little fruit and vegetables and therefore generally do not consume enough vitamins. Secondly, it has been proven that vegan or vegetarian people in particular have a vitamin deficiency, especially in vitamins B12 and B6. Food intake is becoming increasingly restricted, especially in older people. In addition, other diseases such as reduced kidney function or chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa can worsen the vitamin status. So the rule applies: nothing works without vitamins. But there is also another option. In this way, betaines plays an important role and makes it possible to fight against the dangerously elevated homocysteine level in the human body.
By the way: There are different forms of betaine on the market. Betaine-TMG ensures a reduction in homocysteine levels, while Betaine HCL has a completely different function.
The Journey is the Goal
The answer to the question whether a dietary supplement with vitamins or betaines Research has yet to reveal whether vitamins protect our bodies from diseases. However, science is optimistic. Studies have already confirmed that both supplementing with the necessary vitamins and taking vitamins alone can betaines can reduce the elevated homocysteine level. Another natural molecule called Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of red grapes, peanuts and berries, helps reduce plasma levels of homocysteine. This plant-based antioxidant can even protect the body from damage associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases or cancer.
A high homocysteine level is not necessarily a cause for concern. However, you should listen to your body, as elevated homocysteine levels are a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Sources
Books
Škovierová, H., Vidomanová, E., Mahmood, S., Sopková, J., Drgová, A., Červeňová, T., Halašová, E., & Lehotský, J. (2016). The Molecular and Cellular Effect of Homocysteine Metabolism Imbalance on Human Health.International journal of molecular sciences,17(10), 1733. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17101733
Zhang, C., Feng, Y., Qu, S., Wei, X., Zhu, H., Luo, Q., Liu, M., Chen, G., & Xiao, X. (2011). Resveratrol attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mice through SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of p53.Cardiovascular research,90(3), 538–545. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvr022
https://www.zeit.de/gesundheit/gesundheitsfragen/gesundheitsfrage-11
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