The Role of Homocysteine in Mental Health

When you get your cholesterol panel done, ask for homocysteine too – it is a factor in blood clotting. You may know that homocysteine is a toxin which, when elevated, increases your risk of heart attack and strokes. But it is also implicated in mental health problems too, such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disease, psychoses, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to name a few. Aggression is also something you might see with very high homocysteine levels, sometimes in Autistic children, so getting yours tested is a good idea. It is a simple blood test with a simple nutritional solution – there is no drug which can lower homocysteine. The optimal level should be under 6, as low as possible.

Here are some things which raise it:

• Medications – especially pain and anti-inflammatory medications
• Tobacco smoking, or vaping
• Excess alcohol intake
• Oral contraceptives
• Leaky gut
• Poor eating habits

So what do you do to reduce it?

• Basically this is a B deficiency situation – B12, B9 (methylfolate) and B6 are ultimately what will lower this reading
• Avoid diabetic complications which will ramp this up
• Take a good, strong probiotic supplement

You will find excellent products to help you from my online store here

 

Disclaimer

You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase.

Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.

Related articles

bones_website

Collagen and your bones

Quoting directly from a scientific journal article, “hydrolysed collagen has a positive therapeutic effect on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis with a potential increase in bone mineral density, a protective effect on articular cartilage, and especially in the symptomatic relief of pain.” Collagen peptides are a form of collagen that has been...
Blog_Anxiety

How to handle anxiety

Imagine you are a cavewoman (or caveman) and you are scanning the land, hunting your next meal. Suddenly you hear a rustle and it’s a lion! Now you’re running away, heart racing, sweaty palms, and your breathing speeds up-because your body feels you are in trouble and it’s using all...
Blog_ADHD

What exactly is ADHD?

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects both children and adults. It is characterised by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity that interferes with daily life. ADHD is not a behavioural problem or a parenting issue, it’s a brain-based condition with biological differences in brain function,...