Does Homocystein levels go up on a low fat diet?

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Does Homocystein levels go up on a low fat diet?

Postby Jaggu » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:23 am

Hi Jeff,

I have been following plant based diet as recommended here, I recently had my blood work done and noticed that all other numbers such as TC, LDL, HDL, TGL moving along in the right direction

TC=104
LDL= 47
HDL=45
TGL=59
BMI = 22.8
except Lp(a) = 225 nmol/L (normal < 75 nmol/L)
Homocysteine = 20

Just few months ago Homocystein was 17, while all other numbers have moved in the right direction, homocystein went in the opposite direction. I'm not sure whether this was due to increased dosage of Niaspan as my Niaspan dosage was bumped to 2000 mg to see if that would bring LPa levels down.

Is there any evidence that suggests that homocystein could get worse on a plant based, low fat diet? Anything I could be doing to bring that under normal range? I have been eating greens to get folate but may be not enough I guess. Thanks for your insight.
Jaggu
 

Re: Does Homocystein levels go up on a low fat diet?

Postby JeffN » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:39 am

Jaggu wrote:Hi Jeff,

I have been following plant based diet as recommended here, I recently had my blood work done and noticed that all other numbers such as TC, LDL, HDL, TGL moving along in the right direction

TC=104
LDL= 47
HDL=45
TGL=59
BMI = 22.8
except Lp(a) = 225 nmol/L (normal < 75 nmol/L)
Homocysteine = 20

Just few months ago Homocystein was 17, while all other numbers have moved in the right direction, homocystein went in the opposite direction.

Is there any evidence that suggests that homocystein could get worse on a plant based, low fat diet? Anything I could be doing to bring that under normal range? I have been eating greens to get folate but may be not enough I guess. Thanks for your insight.


Hi Jaggu,

Overall your numbers look great.

Homocysteine levels usually drop significantly on a diet as recommended here.

Typically speaking, folate is the key nutrient in helping maintain normal & healthy B12 levels. Vitamin B6 & B12 are also important however, folate & B6 are usually not an issue here. However, on a pure vegan diet, B12 can be an issue & if your B12 intake or levels are low, homocysteine levels can go up.

You may want to get your B12 levels checked by checking the serum levels & also have a Urinary Methymalonic Acid (MMA) test done. In addition, make sure you have a reliable source of B12. You may want to review these issues, correct any problems if any, & then get your levels rechecked.

In Health,
Jeff
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Re: Does Homocystein levels go up on a low fat diet?

Postby Jaggu » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:48 pm

JeffN wrote:
Typically speaking, folate is the key nutrient in helping maintain normal & healthy B12 levels. Vitamin B6 & B12 are also important however, folate & B6 are usually not an issue here. However, on a pure vegan diet, B12 can be an issue & if your B12 intake or levels are low, homocysteine levels can go up.

In Health,
Jeff


Thanks for the reply.

I forgot to mention, I had my folate level checked few months ago and at that time it was within the normal range.

I have also been taking B12 as was suggested by you. Took 1000 mgs for 14 days to build a reservoir and then 500 mg twice a week. I started taking B12 about 4-6 months ago.

Why do you think folate and B6 not being an issue...just curious?

I will get B12 and MMA checked as suggested by you to further troubleshoot high homocystein levels. I did read somewhere that Niaspan could increase HCys levels.
Jaggu
 

Postby Jaggu » Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:11 pm

I have had my MMA and B-12 levels checked through blood tests.

MMA(415) is outside the normal range 87-318

B-12(249) levels are within normal range (230-1050)

So it appears that B-12 levels are in the low range and MMA is elevated indication B-12 deficiency. Homocystein level was high(20) as Indicated above and folate levels are normal.

I have been taking B-12 supplements has was mentioned above.

Don't know what else can be done? I have heard of B-12 injections. But that therapy is for life, once every week as I understand.
Jaggu
 

Postby JeffN » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:40 pm

Jaggu wrote:I have had my MMA and B-12 levels checked through blood tests.

MMA(415) is outside the normal range 87-318

B-12(249) levels are within normal range (230-1050)

So it appears that B-12 levels are in the low range and MMA is elevated indication B-12 deficiency. Homocystein level was high(20) as Indicated above and folate levels are normal.

I have been taking B-12 supplements has was mentioned above.

Don't know what else can be done? I have heard of B-12 injections. But that therapy is for life, once every week as I understand.


Hi Jaggu

I would be concerned about having both a homocysteine and MMA level out of normal range. This could be an indicator of the beginning of a B12 deficiency or of an existing mild to actual deficiency. As several studies have shown, B12 deficiency and/or elevated homocysteine in vegetarians is an issue that needs to be addressed.

You may want to go though the process of ensuring/building adequate stores of B12 for the next few weeks, and then test again.

I would also recommend you read the following article which addresses this issue on now best to do this.

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/rec

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/formula

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/b12/

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Postby Jaggu » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:14 am

Results of Kuzminski et al.
------------serum B12 (pg/ml)-------serum MMA (µmol/l)----- HCY(µmol/l)

Pretreatment

oral------------------93--------------------------3.85--------------------37.2

After 4 months

oral ------------------1005---------------------- .169--------------------10.6
2000 µg/day

Hi Jeff,

An excellent information on B-12, Thank you very much.

Since I have gone through the recommended regular treatment of 1000 mcg for two weeks and then 500 mcg/twice a week and that didn't bring the homocystein and MMA levels down, My next step would be to go for 2000 mcg/day and retest the levels after 3-4 months. What do you think?

Thanks again for the valuable information.
Last edited by Jaggu on Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
Jaggu
 

Postby JeffN » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:18 am

Agreed!

Go through the process one more time and use the 2000. Also follow the recommendations about the brands and allowing it to dissolve under your tongue, just to be sure.

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Postby Jaggu » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:31 am

JeffN wrote:Agreed!

Go through the process one more time and use the 2000. Also follow the recommendations about the brands and allowing it to dissolve under your tongue, just to be sure.

In Health
Jeff


Go through the process one more time with 2000 mcg for 2 weeks or for four months? I apologize, I want to get it right!

The ones I have been taking is sub lingual dots. Manufactured by Rexall, Micro-Lozenges.

I didn't see any recommended brand on vegan health. Thanks
Jaggu
 

Postby JeffN » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:40 am

Jaggu wrote:The ones I have been taking is sub lingual dots. Manufactured by Rexall, Micro-Lozenges.

I didn't see any recommended brand on vegan health. Thanks


I mentioned a few here. The one you are using is probably fine also.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5844

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Postby Jaggu » Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:23 am

Hi Jeff,

For last 4 months I have been following the recommendations outlined in vegan-health/b12 link that you had provided. I saw a tremendous improvement in my MMA, B12 and Homocystein levels yet homocystein is still high.

Here are the numbers


MMA --------------------- B12 -----------------Homo
Range
(87-318)------------------(230-1050) ---------Hi limit 13.9

4 months ago

(415) ---------------------(249) ------------------(20)

Current

(166)------------------(867)------------------(14)

I had checked folate six months ago and it was normal, in the mid range.

So I don't know what else can be done to lower the homocystein levels?

Over time, MMA and B12 may improve further and not sure whether that will lower the HomoCys levels as there is still some for improvement on those front.
Jaggu
 

Hi Jaggu

Postby f1jim » Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:09 am

I think your numbers are moving in the right direction. Don't be too impatient unless you see a reversal in the numbers. Also, the test for Homocysteine is notorious for having a 10-20% spread in accuracy even when taken on the same day. If the trend is down you are making progress. Of all the markers of inflammation, my Homocysteine was the slowest to drop. But come down it did.
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Postby JeffN » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:16 am

Jaggu wrote:So I don't know what else can be done to lower the homocystein levels?


Your numbers show a great improvement and should continue to improve.

Stay the course!

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