Homocysteine News and Research

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Long-term AED therapy may increase risk of atherosclerosis in epilepsy patients

New research reveals that patients with epilepsy who were treated for extended periods with older generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may be at increased risk for developing atherosclerosis, a common disorder known as hardening of the arteries.

15 Nov 2011

Benefits of hormone replacement therapy in protecting women from Alzheimer's inconclusive

A rigorous evaluation of the scientific literature reveals that the jury is still out when it comes to hormone replacement therapy and a woman's risk for Alzheimer's disease. Alzforum (http://www.alzforum.org) asked prominent scientists to analyze the results of published studies examining the effects of estrogen or estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy on women.

9 Nov 2011

Low plasma level of copper and zinc in pregnant women may be associated with spontaneous abortion

Scientists at the University of Granada have confirmed that a low plasma level of copper and zinc in pregnant women may be a factor associated with spontaneous abortion, a hypothesis that had not been confirmed to date, and which had never been proven in humans before.

28 Sep 2011

Low vitamin B12 raises risk of dementia in the elderly: Study

According to a latest study the elderly with low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood may be more likely to develop problems with their thinking skills and have more brain shrinkage. The study points to a link between low B12 and early cognitive decline, a condition that often leads to dementia. Previous research has found that those people with high levels of vitamin B12 in their blood have lower levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which some studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, memory loss, and stroke.

27 Sep 2011

Vitamin B12 deficiency linked to cognitive problems or loss in brain volume among older people

Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood may be more likely to lose brain cells and develop problems with their thinking skills, according to a study published in the September 27, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Sep 2011

Study links cysteine with obesity-related diseases

People with high levels of the amino acid cysteine carry 6-10 kilograms more fat than other people. Norwegian researchers studying this phenomenon are generating knowledge which could help to prevent and treat life-threatening obesity.

15 Jun 2011

U.S. FDA announces safety label changes for cholesterol-lowering medication, simvastatin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today is announcing safety label changes for the cholesterol-lowering medication simvastatin because the highest approved dose--80 milligram (mg)--has been associated with an elevated risk of muscle injury or myopathy, particularly during the first 12 months of use.

9 Jun 2011

Taking prenatal vitamins early during pregnancy can reduce risk of having children with autism

Women who reported not taking a daily prenatal vitamin immediately before and during the first month of pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to have a child with an autism spectrum disorder as women who did take the supplements - and the associated risk rose to seven times as great when combined with a high-risk genetic make-up, a study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found.

26 May 2011

Vegans at increased risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis

People who follow a vegan lifestyle - strict vegetarians who try to eat no meat or animal products of any kind - may increase their risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries," which are conditions that can lead to heart attacks and stroke. That's the conclusion of a review of dozens of articles published on the biochemistry of vegetarianism during the past 30 years. The article appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

7 Apr 2011

Obese teens have inflammation, insulin resistance, and high homocysteine levels despite feeling healthy

Obese teens may feel healthy, but blood tests show they have inflammation, insulin resistance, and high homocysteine levels, researchers report at the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions.

23 Mar 2011

Vegetarians, vegans need to increase omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 to reduce heart disease risk

3 Feb 2011

Nitrous oxide anesthesia may lead to increased risk of myocardial infarction: Study

Patients receiving nitrous oxide as part of general anesthesia for surgery may be at increased long-term risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), reports a study in the February issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

29 Jan 2011

New findings on folic acid supplementation reveal causes of low birth weight

Groundbreaking work by a team of UK scientists has identified, for the first time, a link between changes in the DNA of newborn babies, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy, and birth weight.

1 Dec 2010

Most 'worried well' groups at risk of liver disease

Growing groups of the so-called "worried well" are putting their lives at risk by shunning visits to their GP over alcoholic health related matters, according to new evidence.

25 Nov 2010

B-complex vitamins slow down mild cognitive impairment

Large doses of B-complex vitamins could reduce the rate of brain shrinkage by half in elderly people with memory problems and slow the progression of dementia.

25 Oct 2010

Biomarkers can improve ability to identify patients at high risk of CKD: Study

Measuring three biomarkers in a single blood sample may improve physicians' ability to identify patients at high risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

22 Oct 2010

Vitamin B12 may help protect against Alzheimer's disease

A new study shows that vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer's disease, adding more evidence to the scientific debate about whether the vitamin is effective in reducing the risk of memory loss. The research will be published in the October 19, 2010, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Oct 2010

Folic acid supplement does not reduce cardiovascular events, cancer or death

Use of folic acid supplements appears to lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine—theorized to be a risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease—but does not appear to be associated with reduced rates of cardiovascular events, cancer or death over a five-year period, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

MTHFD1L gene may increase risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have identified a gene that appears to increase a person's risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of the disease. The gene, abbreviated as MTHFD1L, is on chromosome six, and was identified in a genome-wide association study.

24 Sep 2010

'Rotten eggs' gas inside knee joint protects against inflammation

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gas more commonly associated with the smell of 'rotten eggs' and blocked drains. However, it has now been shown to be present naturally in our bodies and reside in knee joint synovial fluid, the protective fluid found in the cavities of joints that reduces friction between the cartilage of joints during movement. Synovial fluid H2S may play a role in reducing inflammation in joints.

21 Aug 2010