Cardiovascular disease is the "number one killer" of the health of our residents, and about 45% of residents died as a result! As the attention continues to increase, many people know that hyperglycemia , hyperlipidemia, high glycerol triglycerides, etc. are the main risk factors, and indicators must be strictly controlled.
Today I want to remind everyone that there is another "dangerous molecule" that is ignored by the public - homocysteine (Hcy). Once it rises, it may keep you in a pre-thrombosis state at all times and increase the risk of cancer!
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homocysteine , the new "killer" that damages blood vessels
The Hcy concentration in normal human blood is about 5-15umol/L. Once it exceeds it, the risk of stroke , coronary heart disease , Alzheimer's disease, diabetes , hypertension , infertility and other 50 diseases will increase!
. Taking cardiovascular disease as an example, it mainly causes the following injuries:
1. Promote arteriosclerosis and reduce vascular elasticity
Hcy has a toxic effect on vascular tissues. It can promote the proliferation and differentiation of smooth muscle cells in the vascular endothelium, causing the content of collagen in the vascular endothelium to decrease, which in turn leads to weakening of the elasticity of the vascular wall and promotes arteriosclerosis.
2. Induces oxidative stress reaction and damages the vascular structure
Hcy is too high, which will accelerate the human body's oxidative stress reaction, leading to the increase in the levels of various factors such as hydrogen peroxide and oxidative free radicals, destroying the morphology and complete function of endothelial cells , and accelerating its demise; at the same time, oxygen free radicals will also accelerate the destruction of high-density lipoprotein , prompting the formation of foam cells on the surface of blood vessels, thus forming what we usually call atherosclerosis.
3. The blood coagulation function is abnormal, blood viscosity,
Hcy metabolism will produce a substance called hydrogen peroxide. Its exaggerated index will open up the binding ability of antithrombin and heparan sulfate on the surface of endothelial cells, making platelet adhere, aggregate, and hypercoagulation. The final result is to cause blood vessel sclerosis and the formation of thrombosis.
4. Increase blood pressure
High Hcy can reduce the production of H2S, a vascular retardant agent in the body, leading to the increased activity of angiotensin converting enzyme , and the production of angiotensin II increases, and blood vessels contract, thus causing blood pressure to rise. Hypertension is one of the high-risk factors for stroke.
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A study published in the British Medical Journal found that when the Hcy level in the blood is greater than 10μmol/L, the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease begins to increase, and when it exceeds 15μmol/L, the risk of death of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases increases to 4-6 times. For every 5μmol/L increase, the risk of coronary heart disease increases by 60-80%. Moreover, this risk of onset is linearly related to blood Hcy concentration. The higher the value, the greater the risk. Therefore, the following high-risk groups need to pay attention to Hcy's examination.
High-risk population of homocysteine
① Those with family genetic history. Abnormal Hcy metabolism is related to inactivation of key enzymes. If people with hyperhomocysteinemia in the family are at a higher risk of their own disease.
②Age is older than 55 years old. The Hcy level in the blood can gradually increase with age. In addition, Hcy will also be affected by estrogen, so the Hcy level in men's blood is relatively high.
③People with bad living habits. Regular smoking or alcoholism, partial eating or picky eating can cause nutrients in the body, causing Hcy metabolism to become hindered.
④People with certain diseases. Hypothyroidism, suffering from malignant tumors, severe anemia, renal dysfunction and kidney damage, etc., will all increase the Hcy level in the blood.
⑤ Those who take medication for a long time. Taking niacin drugs, diuretics , and antiepileptic drugs for a long time can increase the Hcy level in the blood.
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should check their Hcy level regularly to avoid harming their bodies.
5 nutrients can help you regulate Hcy levels in
Hcy in the body can be converted into glutathione and adenosine methionine that are beneficial to the human body under the catalytic action of . The required catalytic enzymes are synthesized from folate , vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and other nutrients. In other words, scientific supplementation of these nutrients can better stabilize Hcy levels in the body.
1. Folic acid
Folic acid can promote Hcy metabolism, thereby effectively preventing and treating hyperhomocysteinemia and assisting in regulating blood pressure; it also has the effect of promoting lipid metabolism, which can effectively reduce the lipid level in the blood and has a certain effect on preventing atherosclerosis.
" Journal of the American Medical Association " once reported: One or two tablets of folic acid (0.8mg) a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 21%. A follow-up study of Peking University shows that patients with low platelets are the most likely people to benefit from folic acid, and the risk reduction can reach 73% after folic acid supplementation.
There are many foods rich in folic acid in life, such as spinach, amaranth , rapeseed, kiwi fruit , soybeans, animal liver, eggs, brown rice , etc. But be careful that folic acid is easy to soluble in water and is afraid of high temperatures, so be careful when cooking some vegetables.
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2. betaine
Hcy is one of the intermediate metabolites of methionine in the human body. Betaine, as a highly efficient methyl donor, directly participates in the methionine cycle; at the same time, it can also increase the activity of Hcy methyltransferase and promote Hcy metabolism.
Foods rich in betaine include: spinach, beets, shrimps, squid, octopus, shellfish, quinoa , rhubarb stems, wolfberry, etc.
3. Vitamin B6 and vitamin B12
Vitamin B6 can promote the synthesis of cystsulfide beta enzymes, and vitamin B12 is a component of a variety of catalytic enzymes such as methionine synthetase and tetrahydrofolate reductase. They can all speed up the decomposition and excretion of Hcy and reduce blood vessel damage.
Vitamin B6 is rich in cereals, yeast , fish, and eggs; vitamin B12 is the main food source of animal food , such as animal offal, eggs, etc., and some fermented soy products, such as natto and fermented bean curd.
gallery copyright picture, reprint without authorization 4. Zinc
zinc element can not only accelerate Hcy metabolism, but also its antioxidant effect can antagonize the teratogenic effect of high Hcy on the heart.
is rich in zinc in seafood, lean meat, eggs, animal offal, dried fruits, cereals, milk and other foods. Among them, oysters and has a very high zinc content.
(I am the official Weibo account of the doctor)
