Cardiology

What does high homocysteine mean?

A high homocysteine means more of this amino acid is building up in your blood than your body usually keeps around. Most of the time that happens because the B-vitamins that normally recycle it — B12, folate, and B6 — are running low. On its own it doesn't diagnose anything. It's one signal that, read in context, can flag a B-vitamin gap or add a little color to your cardiovascular picture. That's exactly why it's worth understanding rather than fearing.