Rachel D. Egan, PMHNP-BC

Homocysteine is an amino acid. Levels of homocysteine are governed by B6, B12 and folate.  When homocysteine levels are high, it means there is likely a functional deficiency of one or all of these vitamins.

High levels of homocysteine are correlated with increased depressive symptoms. Additionally, a study in the Nutrition Journal in 2015 states “homocysteine has been recognized as a risk factor as early as 1990s, for the presence of atherosclerotic vascular disease and hypercoagulability states,” (Ganguly and Alam).

Homocysteine levels can be checked on a simple blood test. If you are struggling with depression or just want to be proactive about overall health and well-being, it’s worth asking a provider to check in on this level. As always, we recommend against adding any vitamin supplements until you have feedback directly from a provider.

Resource:

Role of homocysteine in the development of cardiovascular disease – PMC