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Article on Homocysteine
This is well worth reading for anyone who uses anticonvulsants, which can raise homocysteine levels.
** the last section of this article is focused on epilepsy. While supplements are used, as can be diet, to reduce high homocysteine, there is always the need to learn about any risks in using them with any type of drug or herb.
The entire article is available free online. This is one many of you may want to share with whoever you see for your seizure disorder. Also, check out this study which did not find supplements to be useful, however, it's not the last word on the subject and diet is also an option-though the single study below is not the final word either.
Prev Med. 2000 Mar;30(3):225-33.
Vegan diet-based lifestyle program rapidly lowers homocysteine levels.
DeRose DJ1, Charles-Marcel ZL, Jamison JM, Muscat JE, Braman MA, McLane GD, Keith Mullen J.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10684746 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10684746>
Neurological Review | October 2000
Homocysteine and Neurologic Disease FREE
Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, MD, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations
Arch Neurol. 2000;57(10):1422-1427. doi:10.1001/archneur.57.10.1422.
Over the last 10 years, there has been an explosion of interest in homocysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid that occupies a central location in the metabolic pathways of thiol compounds. This interest is primarily because of the realization that hyperhomocysteinemia is an important risk factor for vascular disease, including stroke, independent of long-recognized factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Since elevated homocysteine levels can often be normalized by supplementing the diet with folic acid (folate), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), these observations raise the exciting possibility that this inexpensive and well-tolerated therapy may be effective in decreasing the incidence of vascular disease. In addition to its association with cerebrovascular disease, homocysteine may play a role in neurodegenerative disorders, even if only as a marker of functional vitamin B12 deficiency. Homocysteine is also important to neurologists since most anticonvulsants raise homocysteine levels, an effect that may explain the teratogenic effects of these drugs. Practical knowledge concerning some details of homocysteine metabolism, the diagnosis of hyperhomocysteinemia, and the use of polyvitamin therapy to lower homocysteine levels will be increasingly important in the treatment of patients with neurologic disease.
http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=777652
This is well worth reading for anyone who uses anticonvulsants, which can raise homocysteine levels.
** the last section of this article is focused on epilepsy. While supplements are used, as can be diet, to reduce high homocysteine, there is always the need to learn about any risks in using them with any type of drug or herb.
The entire article is available free online. This is one many of you may want to share with whoever you see for your seizure disorder. Also, check out this study which did not find supplements to be useful, however, it's not the last word on the subject and diet is also an option-though the single study below is not the final word either.
Prev Med. 2000 Mar;30(3):225-33.
Vegan diet-based lifestyle program rapidly lowers homocysteine levels.
DeRose DJ1, Charles-Marcel ZL, Jamison JM, Muscat JE, Braman MA, McLane GD, Keith Mullen J.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10684746 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10684746>
Neurological Review | October 2000
Homocysteine and Neurologic Disease FREE
Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, MD, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations
Arch Neurol. 2000;57(10):1422-1427. doi:10.1001/archneur.57.10.1422.
Over the last 10 years, there has been an explosion of interest in homocysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid that occupies a central location in the metabolic pathways of thiol compounds. This interest is primarily because of the realization that hyperhomocysteinemia is an important risk factor for vascular disease, including stroke, independent of long-recognized factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Since elevated homocysteine levels can often be normalized by supplementing the diet with folic acid (folate), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), these observations raise the exciting possibility that this inexpensive and well-tolerated therapy may be effective in decreasing the incidence of vascular disease. In addition to its association with cerebrovascular disease, homocysteine may play a role in neurodegenerative disorders, even if only as a marker of functional vitamin B12 deficiency. Homocysteine is also important to neurologists since most anticonvulsants raise homocysteine levels, an effect that may explain the teratogenic effects of these drugs. Practical knowledge concerning some details of homocysteine metabolism, the diagnosis of hyperhomocysteinemia, and the use of polyvitamin therapy to lower homocysteine levels will be increasingly important in the treatment of patients with neurologic disease.
http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=777652