Homocysteine is an amino acid that can be measured with a blood test.
High homocysteine levels may be treated with dietary changes and supplements.
alvarez / Getty Images
What Homocysteine Is
Homocysteine is an amino acid.
alvarez / Getty Images
It is produced during the metabolism of another amino acid (methionine)during the digestion of protein.
Levels that surpass 15 mcmol/L are calledhyperhomocysteinemia.
The levels of high homocysteine include:
Risks
Hyperhomocysteinemiamay damage the interior lining of the arteries.
Caffeine may affect homocysteine.
Diagnosis and Testing
Homocysteine levels are measured with a blood sample.
You might feel a small pinch or sting, and the process takes only a few minutes.
However, don’t stop taking any medications before the test unless instructed to do so.
Also, studies have not shown that reducing homocysteine levels decreases the likelihood of heart attacks or strokes.
Treatments
Your healthcare provider will suggest how you should treat high homocysteine.
If you have high homocysteine levels, your healthcare provider may advise altering your diet.
Consuming a well-balanced diet may help provide the necessary vitamins in appropriate quantities.
However, talk to your healthcare provider before taking vitamin supplements.
Research has yet to definitively confirm whether lowering homocysteine levels can decrease the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Nutr Metab (Lond).
2017 Dec 22;14:78. doi: 10.1186/s12986-017-0233-z.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Homocysteine test.
Son P, Lewis L.Hyperhomocysteinemia.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan. PMID: 32119295.
2020; 21(4):1421. doi: 10.3390/ijms21041421
Indiana hemophilia and thrombosis center.About hypderhomocysteine.
MedlinePlus.Bile acid sequestrants for cholesterol.
2022; 11(11):2985. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11112985
MedlinePlus.Homocysteine Test.
Riddell LJ, Chisholm A, Williams S, Mann JI.Dietary strategies for lowering homocysteine concentrations,,.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
2000;71(6):1448-1454. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/71.6.1448
Medline Plus.Folic acid.
