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HOMOCYSTEINE -
PART OF THE RIDDLE
by Lynn
Hinderliter, CN, LDN |
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In 1997 I was privileged to meet a
gentleman who had just written a book about cardiovascular
disease called TMG Breakthrough - Methylation,
Homocysteine and Nutrition that I found most impressive.
His name is Paul Frankel, and he is a brilliant young
mathematical biologist who has published many articles in
peer-reviewed medical journals and research journals. I want
to tell you about some of his conclusions, many of which are
based on the research Dr. Craig Cooney has been doing
research on methylation since 1979.
First of all , Frankel points out that it
is somewhat illogical to implicate so many different factors
in heart disease: fatty diets, cholesterol, triglycerides,
blood pressure, smoking, etc. etc. Even when combined, these
causes account for less than half of all deaths from heart
disease, which indicates there must be some underlying
cause, perhaps related to all of these. The factor he
implicates is high levels of homocysteine in the body.
Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid, which is normally well
controlled through the liver with the help of B vitamains which convert it to non-toxic amino
acids, among them Methionine. But when these paths are
blocked, or unavailable, homocysteine builds up in body
tissues. When given to test animals, it "rapidly induces the
initial stages of arteriosclerosis , (whereas) cholesterol's
effects are not apparent. "
Many studies have shown a
correlation between high homocysteine levels (a fasting
level over 15 umols per liter is considered high) and heart
disease and stroke, including a study of 405 patients which
found that those suffering from coronary artery disease had
higher levels than the healthy subjects, and a study which
concluded that 68 patients suffering strokes had higher mean
concentrations than 31 healthy controls.
In December 2002, two diametrically
opposed studies were published: one purporting to show that
there is no connection between homocysteine levels and
cardiovascular risk , the other, that elevated homocysteine
levels are implicated in deep vein thrombosis, ischemic
heart disease, and stroke. So the controversy
continues. You can access them here:
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/325/7374/1202
Research is also showing
that
high homocysteine levels are complicit in the development of
osteoporosis, stimulating bone breakdown and
resorbtion rather than bone building..
The good news is that homocysteine levels
can be lowered naturally, drugs are not required. Dr.
Frankel's research concentrates on an approach called
methylation, which involves donating a methyl group
to homocysteine, a process which converts it to the harmless
amino acid Methionine. The substance he uses is called TMG,
or Trimethylglycine. (Interestingly, when it has donated its
methyl group to homocysteine, what is left is DMG,
Dimethylglycine, also known as B15, a substance which is a
high energy producer). This is available as a new
supplement, and he also recommends combining it with other
methyl donor supplements, whose effectiveness has already
been shown in previous research on homocysteine levels, and
these are folic acid, B6 and B12. There are combinations of
the 3 available to help those at risk from high homocysteine
levels. Interestingly, a 1999 study published in the
Journ. of Lab. and Clin Med., 134:238-243, showed that
the loop diuretic furosemide, commonly used to treat heart
failure, can double the usual rate of excretion of B1. A
deficiency of this B vitamin can be a risk factor for heart
failure.
Dr. Broda Barnes is well known in the
alternative community as an expert on thyroid problems, and
his book published in 1976 called "Solved: the Riddle of
Heart Attacks" pointed out the connection between
thyroid and heart attacks. We know now that an
underactive thyroid affects the absorption of B vitamins,
the deficiencies of which in turn raise homocysteine levels.
Many of you will now have learned about
homocysteine, and I certainly don't want to miss a chance to
say "I told you so"! Or, as the Russians used to put it "Ve
Vere there first!" This is, therefore, a reprint (with some
revisions) of an article first printed in our local paper in
April of 1997. It may also be of interest you to know, that
certain pharmaceutical companies lost a major battle
attempting, with the help of the FDA, to have
TriMethylGlycine declared a drug, when it is obviously a
food supplement. It is apparently so effective that they
want to be able to patent it, which would have the effect of
making it very expensive.
Frankel also advises dietary changes,
noting that the Standard American Diet ( aptly abbreviated
S.A.D) which is high in protein, fats, processed foods,
frozen and canned foods both increases our production of
homocysteine, and decreases our body's ability to remove it
from the system. Smoking, and oral contraceptives also
adversely affect these processes. On the other hand, a diet
high in unprocessed foods , low in the "bad" fats, low in
protein and high in fruits and vegetables can increase
methyl donors and lower homocysteine.
Protection against heart disease is,
according to Dr. Frankel, not the only benefit of lowering
homocysteine levels: methylation also plays a role in
protecting DNA, and therefore is a line of defense against
cancer: loss of methyl groups from the DNA leads to
"inappropriate gene expression, which is implicated in
certain cancers. The idea us that DNA methylation can
prevent cancer-causing genes from being activated".
Methylation is also involved in the
production of S-Adenosylmethionine, or SAM-e, a substance
that is widely used in Europe to counter depression. An
U.C.L.A veteran's study conducted with 15 patients with
major depression found that after being treated with SAM-e
for 15 days, their index for depression improved by 50%,
with no side effect noted.
At the 2000 meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, I was amused to
read that while many said that taking vitamins and
supplements for high levels of homocysteine was a good idea,
others considered it too early to do anything about the
amino acid except in extreme cases.
However, based on the
fact that high levels of homocysteine are more common in
people with cardiovascular problems, including stroke, the
Doctor representing the Oregon Regional Primate Center
made no bones about the fact that both he and his wife
practice prevention. Since testing to confirm the
presence of high levels is expensive, this makes sense to
me. Incidentally, Ms. Howard of the American Heart
Association put the number of people with high levels of
homocysteine at 5% of the American population. I don't know
how she came up with this figure, but I suspect it is far
too low.
High homocysteine levels are now suspect in osteoporosis, which is
not a
surprise, given the connection between pH, methylation and
homocysteine.
The study's authors state:
"An increased
homocysteine level appears to be a strong and independent
risk factor for osteoporotic fractures in older men and
women," while recommending that this risk be confirmed
in other large population studies. "Proof of a causal
relationship between increased homocysteine levels and bone
disease could be established by intervention studies aimed
at lowering the serum homocysteine level. Whereas
randomized, controlled trials have shown that folic
acid–based vitamin supplements can effectively reduce
homocysteine levels and reduce the rate of coronary
restenosis, additional studies are needed to assess whether
the use of such therapy will reduce the risk of fracture." |
Here is the full report at MedScape
Increased methylation in our bodies is
obviously to be desired, and the road map Dr. Frankel gives
us in his book is: avoid smoking, eating processed foods,
high fat diets, birth control pills, high protein diets.
Concentrate on green leafy vegetables and legumes and
unprocessed foods. Take methyl donor supplements such as
Folic Acid, B12, B6, TMG, and choline. These strategies will
lower homocysteine levels, and therefore eliminate what he
considers the main risk factor for heart attacks and
strokes, as well as possibly depression and Alzheimer's
disease. Some recent research is suggesting that children
with ADD/ADHD have high levels of homocysteine. Outlined
above is an approach that is both simple and effective,
contributing greatly to our overall health, and lowering
some seriously threatening health risks.
| Keywords:
homocysteine heart disease,
natural control homocysteine, b vitamins homocysteine,
methylation homocysteine, tmg homocysteine, the vitamin
lady writes about homocysteine, homocysteine
osteoporosis, natural control homocysteine |
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