A few years ago, I was reading an article about an amino acid produced by the body called homocysteine (pronounced homo cys steen). It was one of the first articles that I had read on the topic, and I was intrigued, rather amazed, at how damaging this chemical could be when found in high amounts in our bloodstreams. The article noted that high blood cholesterol, a known risk factor for heart disease, was only part of the formula for acquiring heart disease and/or having a heart attack, and that homocysteine was a separate risk factor that could be dangerously high, even when blood cholesterol levels fell in the normal range.

When I had my physical exam later that month, I asked my doctor to perform an additional blood test to check my homocysteine level. I was surprised that homocysteine was not part of the routine blood evaluation prescribed during a physical exam, and that I had to make a personal request to have it checked. Sure enough, when the results came back, it was in the high range. I immediately began taking 1 milligram (mg) of folic acid per day and my homocysteine levels fell within the normal range.

Read the entire column at http://www.ncpad.org/219/1436/2004-06~Issue~~High~Homocysteine~Levels~Can~be~the~
Culprit~of~Several~Health~Problems.