When it comes to health, everyone is generally concerned about things, mainly focusing on the so-called 4 high problems, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids, high uric acid, however, many people will find that they still have 1 indicator exceeding the standard, and the test results show that the level of homocysteine is elevated. So, what is homocysteine? What does this indicator have to do with health? Let's solve your doubts now.
Homocysteine, also known as H element, is an intermediate product produced during the metabolism and transformation of proteins in the diet in the body, and H element is metabolized through methylation and other pathways. Under normal circumstances, homocysteine can be completely decomposed, so the concentration in the body is maintained at a low level. Homocysteine has an important effect on the body's methylation and antioxidant capacity. If the concentration of homocysteine in the body increases, methylation and antioxidant capacity decrease, resulting in an increased risk of many diseases.
Homocysteine levels can be detected by blood tests. Homocysteine levels in healthy people are 0-10 μmol/L, the cut-off value is 10 to 15 μmol/L, and if it exceeds 15 μmol/L, it is called hyperhocysteinemia, referred to as hyperhemoglobinemia. It is important to note that this indicator is associated with the risk and progression of a variety of diseases, so when you talk about health issues in the future, you should consider changing the focus from the so-called 4 high to 5 high.
Elevated homocysteine levels are an important indicator of the risk and progression of a variety of diseases, and in recent years, they have received more and more attention. Let's take a few examples. For example, studies have found that when homocysteine levels exceed 20 μmol/L, the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases increases by 1.4 times, and the risk of related death increases by 2 times. High blood homology can cause the risk of hypertension to increase by more than 3 times, and if 1 hypertensive patient has high blood homogeneity at the same time, the risk of cerebral stroke will increase by 30 times.
The current research results show that the elevated level of homocysteine is directly or indirectly related to at least more than 50 diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, malignant tumors, etc. For example, studies have found that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension will have a significant increase in homocysteine levels, and the older the patient, the longer the diabetes will be, and the higher the level of homocysteine. Conversely, if 1 person had a normal homocysteine level, the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases would be reduced by 80%, the risk of stroke would be reduced by 82%, the risk of Alzheimer's disease would be reduced by 50%, and the risk of cancer would be reduced by 33%. Mainland scholars have studied the relationship between hypertension and homocysteine, and the results show that 75% of patients with hypertension have elevated homocysteine levels, known as H-type hypertension, and the risk of stroke in such patients is 12 times that of healthy people.
Current research suggests that elevated homocysteine levels are associated with folate deficiency. In addition, studies have found that pylori bacterial infection is associated with elevated homocysteine levels, and people who continue to infect Helicobacter pylori for more than 3 years can lead to increased serum homocysteine concentrations. Studies have also found that genetic factors, renal failure, vitamin B6 or B12 deficiency, heavy coffee intake, alcohol abuse, smoking, poor nutritional status, etc., are also related factors leading to elevated homocysteine levels. International academics believe that homocysteine levels below 6.3 mol/L are the safe range, but relevant statistics show that only about 10% of people meet this standard.
To reduce homocysteine levels, folic acid supplementation is often recommended, with a balanced diet being the preferred measure. The daily intake of folic acid is 1000 micrograms, along with 50 to 100 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 20 to 50 micrograms of vitamin B6. Chicken or pork livers are high in folic acid, but also higher in cholesterol. Therefore, folic acid supplementation recommends increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and whole grains. If homocysteine levels cannot be lowered through dietary adjustments, consider taking folic acid tablets. At the same time, you should also quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption.
Whoever loves, pass on health to whom.
Your health, my concern. Professionals observe health from a scientific and humanistic perspective, including a series of express reports, details, reminders, doubts, observations, opinions, historical stories, etc., with the content of the original works of the author Wei Hongling and the team. All forms of misappropriation and reproduction without permission will be refused, otherwise they will be prosecuted in accordance with relevant laws.