Individuals prone to anxiety and depression may need to watch out for elevated homocysteine levels.
Part of why stress can lead to brain problems like anxiety and depression may have to do with the amino acid homocysteine, which is is produced during times of stress.
Why? Because homocysteine, which is produced during times of stress, may actually be a neurotoxin.
Homocysteine is an amino acid normally found in the blood. Elevated levels have been linked to heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Homocysteine tests are commonly used as a screen for people at high risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke.
Investigators in the Netherlands have discovered that elevated levels of homocysteine are also related to a lower performance in cognitive function such as memory, attention, and visual perception. This confirms previous research published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealing that high blood levels of homocysteine may lead to memory loss and is an added health threat to brain function.
People with high homocysteine levels were twice as likely to develop brain-function problems.
Homocysteine levels are raised by cortisol, the primary long-term stress hormone, which is also particularly destructive to the brain, killing large numbers of neurons, throwing neurotransmitter balance out of balance, and shrinking the hippocampus, the center of emotional memory.
Fortunately, there exists an inexpensive and easily accessible solution:
Adequate levels of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid can prevent the buildup of homocysteine. In addition, homocysteine tests are easy and relatively inexpensive.
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