Do you know what homocysteine is? If you don’t, you’re not alone. Most people have never heard of it, but at this very moment, it could be damaging your health.
Homocysteine is a natural substance made by the body when it breaks down protein. People who exercise excessively, consume a lot of animal protein, have kidney disease, are on medications for diabetes or arthritis, and are under a lot of stress may have high homocysteine levels in their blood. Sometimes, genetics are also responsible for elevated homocysteine, which tends to run in families.
Homocysteine fuels liver detoxification, adrenal gland support, neurotransmitter support, and joint repair. If it is not entirely broken down and metabolized adequately, it becomes a toxic substance that harms the body and contributes to disease.
The Health Risks of High Homocysteine Levels
When homocysteine reaches high levels, it is highly hazardous to your health. Elevated levels of homocysteine increase inflammation, which then becomes a risk factor for heart disease, arterial disease, strokes, high cholesterol, and blood clots. High levels of homocysteine in the blood (hyperhomocysteinemia) are also linked to brain atrophy and cognitive decline. This includes an increased risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Nothing ages you faster than an inflamed heart, bad arteries, and a shrinking brain. Not much sends you to the grave sooner, either. And to think it happens every day because of something completely avoidable.
Well-documented and professionally researched evidence has shown homocysteine to be the real culprit behind plaque, the dangerous build-up that develops in your arteries and damages your heart.
Not only is homocysteine the real villain in heart disease, but it’s also causing your brain cells to die, which in turn causes your brain to age faster and shrink.
A Chain of Dangerous Events
No one should be surprised that homocysteine is proving to have a systemic effect on the entire body. If you look at your body as a whole and not as a bunch of isolated parts as your doctor does, you’ll see that high levels of homocysteine could easily lead to a chain reaction in your body that results in the downfall of your health, starting with this red flag.
Homocysteine serves as a marker for heart inflammation, and inflammation is the root of most diseases, even cancer. If your homocysteine levels are high, your heart and arteries are already damaged and inflamed. At this point, homocysteine’s negative effect on blood platelets is probably already setting you up for blood clots.
When blood pumps through inflamed or clotted arteries, some of your vital organs, like your brain, won’t get enough oxygenated blood, and your brain cells begin to die. Those dying brain cells cause your brain to age at a rapid pace, much faster than average, even if you don’t have dementia. And the only way to save your rapidly aging and shrinking brain is to reduce the homocysteine levels in your blood immediately.
How to Lower Homocysteine Levels Naturally
There is one very effective way to reduce homocysteine levels and slow the aging of your brain, and it’s a nutrient found in your food.
The brain-saving antidote to dangerous homocysteine level is methylated vitamin B12. The same research study that demonstrated that homocysteine causes your brain to shrink and age rapidly also showed that higher levels of B12 could slow the aging of your brain.
This makes perfect sense, considering that B12 (along with other B vitamins) is necessary for your body to remove homocysteine from your bloodstream safely.
So, if you want to avoid brain shrinkage and the complete laundry list of the health hazards that go along with high levels of homocysteine, boost your intake of B12 as soon as possible. While you are at it, increase your B6 and folic acid levels (important to be methylated form). You can do this by eating B vitamin-rich foods like grass-fed beef, dairy products, eggs, fish, fruits, liver, peas, pork, poultry, rice, shellfish, spinach, sunflower seeds, and walnuts.
Or, if you think you’re at risk for high levels of homocysteine, invest in B vitamins that are methylated. They’ll be worth their weight in gold to keep your heart and brain healthy.
Another way to reduce your inflammation levels is by taking Astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin and Inflammation
Like many antioxidants, Astaxanthin may help to reduce inflammation. However, Astaxanthin’s specific ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species helps reduce proteins that can cause inflammatory diseases such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.
Not only does Astaxanthin fight inflammation, but it also assists our mitochondria, the energy powerhouses located in our cells. Having mitochondria functioning at their best gives our bodies optimal energy and helps them operate at peak performance.
By reducing inflammation, Astaxanthin supports improved mitochondrial performance and provides antioxidant support to prevent free radical damage.
Studies show Astaxanthin’s anti-inflammatory capabilities can help with exercise recovery by protecting the body from an overproduction of free radicals, inhibiting the production of excess lactic acid in the muscles, reducing fatigue, and improving muscle strength.
Methyl Core and Next Steps
Methyl Core. Methylation is becoming one of the most recognized and foremost approaches to supporting overall health. From the brain to the cardiovascular system, from detoxification capabilities to energy production. Methyl Core also contains an essential nutrient to lower your homocysteine levels – B12.
To check your homocysteine levels, get a FREE Consultation with one of our doctors (D.C) here.
