| HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE COMMON IN ELDERLY WITH CHRONIC DISEASES PREVALENCE OF HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE DOUBLES IN THOSE WITH VASCULAR DISEASE OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT A metabolic imbalance triggered by a B-vitamin deficiency often lurks at the root of the most common - and the most deadly - disease of aging. But why are the elderly so often its unsuspecting victims? Chronically high levels of homocysteine, known as hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), normally affect 30% to 40% of healthy elderly people. But in older individuals with severe illnesses, the prevalence rate of HHcy may be almost double, according to a new study. Based on random HHcy testing of six hundred hospitalized elderly patients aged 65 to 102 years (mean, 79 ± 9 years), researchers found evidence of HHcy in over 60% of those with serious chronic conditions. HHcy was confirmed in 70% of hospitalized elderly patients with vascular disease and in 63% of those with cognitive impairment, rates nearly twice as high as those reported in healthy elderly individuals. The build-up of this amino acid, which has been shown to damage blood vessels and to promote potentially dangerous blood clots, was also significantly associated with diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney failure, and lipid imbalances. One possible reason for increased prevalence of HHcy in the elderly is malnutrition. Older individuals are more susceptible to vitamin deficiencies. And many suffer from digestive dysfunction, which can impair absorption of vitamins even when intake is "normal." In fact, the study noted that one-third of the hospitalized patients had a deficit of at least one homocysteine-related vitamin. Even elderly individuals at the lower end of the "normal" range of vitamin intake appeared vulnerable to HHcy. ".a great portion (67%) of our population had one or more vitamin levels near (within 15% higher) the lower recommended range, suggesting the need for a review for reference values in elderly people," the researchers advised. Kidney function, age, nutritional status, and the use of drugs such as diuretics were the four factors affecting homocysteine the most, the study found. These accounted for about 70% of the variation in levels. VITAMIN DEFICIENCY LINKED TO BRAIN DAMAGE IN PARKINSON'S RESULTING HOMOCYSTEINE ELEVATIONS MAY WEAKEN NEURON DEFENSE They say one man's meat is another man's poison. While that's an extreme scenario, exciting new research is finding a scientific basis to support this idea. Gathering evidence, for example, reveals that each person's vulnerability to disease-causing toxins may be firmly rooted in the body's metabolic milieu. A new study reports strong experimental evidence suggesting that a chronic deficiency of the B-vitamin folate, which causes elevations of homocysteine, may make the brain more vulnerable to certain types of toxic damage linked to Parkinson's disease. The study was conducted by researchers from the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center, the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, and Johns Hopkins University. Homocysteine can become elevated in the blood as a result of folate deficiency and/or genetic predisposition. In excess, homocysteine has the potential to "snap" DNA strands in neurons, possibly leading to disease-causing genetic mutations. Levels of homocysteine tend to creep upwards as we age. These experimental results provide an important clue that could shed light on why high levels of homocysteine are often reported in patients with Parkinson's. They could also help explain why, even in healthy patients, elevated homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson's as one ages. |
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