Homocysteine is one of those B12 scare tactics. Here is some sage advice about homocysteine from Dr Vetrano.

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Homocysteine Is Not To Be Feared
by V. Virginia Vetrano, D.C., hM.D., M.D.

I have received a lot of articles regarding homocysteine. People are being told that it is one of the risk factors of heart problems. have come to the following conclusion:

DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED ABOUT THE HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE COUNT. IT IS AN OTHER WAY FOR THE PHARMACOLOGISTS TO MAKE MONEY BY SELLING NEUTRACEUTICALS.

Homocysteine is broken down by four pathways; and it can be remethylated through two different enzymatic reactions. Homocysteine is merely a "risk" factor of heart disease. It does not cause heart disease. All the so called studies of it that I have read give percentages of "risk" and do not give numbers of deaths.

The research individual who is known as a professional research person will find what those who fund him wants to "discover" – if they don't find it they twist the results and falcify reports so they can be funded again and again, because they have to make a living. It is not like we think it is; the honest, professor who is really interested in a subject and who is working diligently searching for truth. Read "The Body Electric" and how Dr. Robert Becker was ostracised, and passed by for grants year after year because he was discovering things that they did not want discovered and which were not popular among the conventional scientists.

Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by the breaking down or catabolism of methionine, a sulfur-containing essential amino acid. It is claimed that a high level of homocysteine in the blood may be associated with an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis; however, in the body homocysteine combines with serine, and produces cysteine and homoserine. In turn cysteine is found in most proteins, and is abundant in epithelial cells, but its most important function is to supply sulfur for valuable metabolic processes. When cysteine combines with oxygen becoming cysteic acid, and upon further oxidation it becomes taurine and taurine is needed to form bile salts. Homoserine, is another amino acid, used in building some essential amino acids.

Vegetarians should not have any problem because all the foods they eat are high in folic acid, which suposedly lowers the levels of homocysteine. People are told that they need vitamin B6 and B12 supplementation for high homocysteine levels.

All we have to remember is that when we eat natural foods in their natural state and obey the laws of life our metabolic processes will be normal. Also, the products of amino acids, change in the body as they are metabolized and the products that are made are useful again and again; until finally they are spent and eliminated vial the kidneys. Remember: the products of natural food substances are useful. The products of supplements are not useful and are most often toxic.

I've been doing this almost 7 years (April for me) and at one point my Homocysteine level was elevated.


Why Vegan?
Because I have the most love and admiration for all animals of the earth!!!
a rawvegan hopeful, rawdev4life!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2007 06:51PM by rawdev.