Heart Diseases ~ HGH Academy

It was initially thought that high levels of homocysteine, which is a sulfur-containing amino acid in our blood, were linked to a higher risk of heart diseases. By promoting atherosclerosis, which is the main cause for heart attacks and strokes, high homocysteine levels were believed to result in injury to the thin layer of cells that line the inside surface of the heart and blood vessel walls.

Today, modern researchers at the University of Bergen have additional findings. During a recent study, the researchers divided its participants into 2 groups: one with 12,595 men and women between the ages of 40 and 42 years and the other with 4766 men and women between the ages of 65 and 67 years. These participants all had their blood tested for homocysteine levels at the beginning of the study. They were again examined periodically over the next 5.3 years. A total of 1275 of the participants were admitted into hospital with heart problems over this period of time.

Those with a homocysteine level greater than 20 micromol/L are twice as likely to be admitted than those with homocysteine levels of between 9 and 11.9 micromol/L. However, this effect was only observed among the older age group.

At the same time, the study also revealed that elderly people with preexisting cardiovascular disease or hypertension and high homocysteine levels were more likely to be hospitalized. While there was no indication that high homocysteine levels were associated with a higher risk of heart disease among the younger group, those with hypertension or cardiovascular disease at baseline did tend to have elevated homocysteine levels.

The researchers conclusion was thus: while having high levels of homocysteine in itself does not cause atherosclerosis, it does promote cardiovascular events through complicating other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension.

Source: Nurk, Eha, et al. Plasma total homocysteine and hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 162, June 24, 2002, pp. 1374-81.