Vitamins B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid all help reduce excess homocysteine
 Stroke occurs when there is a problem with blood flow to the brain or if there is bleeding within the brain. Strokes may cause reversible or irreversible paralysis, visual changes, coma, speech problems or dementia. Most strokes are not fatal, though death is a possible outcome. People with diabetes, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries (artherosclerosis) and hypertension (high blood pressure) all have increased stroke risk.
Stroke symptoms include :
- Sudden and very painful headache
- Weakness
- Loss of ability to move a limb
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance
- Language difficulties
- Visual problems including blurred vision
- Seizures, vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing and drooling
In some cases, there may be warning symptoms before the stroke takes full effect. As soon as symptoms appear, seek immediate emergency medical attention - call 911 or the number for emergency services in your area.
|
The homocysteine - stroke connection
Homocysteine (HCY) was first linked to stroke in 1966. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is related to higher risks of heart disease. Pioneering medical researcher, Kilmer McCully, discovered that young people with high levels of homocysteine had heart attacks and strokes more often than people of the same age with lower levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine is used as an independent risk factor to measure a person's level of risk of getting stroke and heart disease. Diet and genetic factors are the strongest influences of homocysteine levels.
Was this the same protein responsible for these attacks in older people ? As time went along and research progressed, the link between high levels of homocysteine and stroke become stronger and stronger. Today there is no dispute : a high level of homocysteine is a strong predictor of stroke at any age.
|
Why the "B" Vitamins are so important
There are nutrients that help reduce excess homocysteine. The B Vitamins (B-12 and B-6) and Folic Acid break down homocysteine. Studies have shown higher levels of B Vitamins are related to lower levels of homocysteine, and that low levels of Folic Acid are linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Folic Acid protects against HCY from ever being formed. But since HCY is necessary at low levels, using pure folic acid is not the best way to lower it. Vitamin B-6 causes rapid excretion of excess HCY, but excreting extra homocysteine means that some amount of it may have already damaged your blood vessels. Vitamin B-12 stabilizes homocysteine by converting it to a beneficial protein. This happens very quickly - before HCY can reach excessive levels and wreak havoc on healthy arteries.
Other nutrients assist in helping reduce excessive HCY, but these three combined vitamins - B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid - are at the heart of any strategy to lower homocysteine. And remember, a lower level of homocysteine means a lowered risk of stroke.
|
