Accuracy of at home homocysteine tests

Has anyone taken the medichecks at home homocysteine test and an NHS test? Just wondering if anyone can comment on the accuracy of the at home test?

ETA: I did use them, but got less than stellar results.

[Hidden]

Well, I didn't say "dodgy", just wondering how accurate fingerprick tests that you stick on a card and post off yourself compared to a venous blood draw sent to lab on ice and spun within 30 minutes of draw? I didn't intend to insult the firm, just curious about the method.

[Julienew]

I'm waiting for results of a home homocysteine test. They have strict quality controls - I know because my samples failed twice! They rang to explain and sent me another kit free of charge. Guy said it wasn't my fault, just unlucky (although the 2nd time I had trouble getting blood from finger prick. Better at it now though).

Hoping this third one works!

[Hidden in reply to Julienew]

Thank you for the info, it's good to know. Sorry you are having a hassle but ,third time's a charm! I had to re-do mine also, as the plaster came off my finger when I was putting the blood onto the card. I bled everywhere and ruined the card...my desk looked like a crime scene!

[Julienew in reply to Hidden]

Got my result yesterday. Woohoo!

I did the test because of v high Vit B12 levels. The homocysteine was high (13) so looking at further tests now.

[Jesswoozer1]

I've been very impressed with LorisIan and rang the lab. They were very helpful. Medichecks do their homocysteine checks via them.

[Hidden in reply to Jesswoozer1]

Thank you for replying!

[fbirder]

When I retired the quantitative analysis group of my department were at the forefront of the development of using HPLC-MS-MS with blood spots instead of whole blood.

Many biochemicals are surprisingly stable when dried. Much more so than in solution, where they can wander about and meet lots of other reactive chemicals.

The commercial assay for total homocysteine in blood spots uses this HPLC-MS-MS technique. It's very, very sensitive and should give reliable results.

[Hidden in reply to fbirder]

It sounds like you were working on some interesting things fbirder. My result was 17, so before I get too wound up, wanted to check the test first. Thank you for your input.

[fbirder in reply to Hidden]

Actually, I found the whole quantitative analysis area quite boring.

I was lucky enough to work in the other half of the department - identifying unknown drug metabolites. Somebody sticks a drug in people, collects bodily fluids and gives them to me. I try to figure out just how just how the body has changed the drug molecule.

[Jo5454 in reply to fbirder]

Forgot to ask please fbirder, am I correct in thinking that the homocysteine could still be high if I have problems with folate, but if it had been high because of b12 def it would now read low?

I'm reading about the gene test too as my folate levels from dr are nearer bottom of the range and when I try to supplement it doesn't seem to make much difference and I do eat a diet high in folate. Thanks...

[fbirder in reply to Jo5454]

Yes, low folate can also cause high hCys. Both methylfolate and B12 are needed in the reaction that uses up hCys.

I doubt a gene test will tell you anything useful. If you did have the one mutation of the MTHFR gene that might cause problems (homozygous for C677>T) then that will have absolutely zero effect on folate levels.

The test measures all types of folate combined. So if you are supplementing with folic acid - and the supplements are getting absorbed from the gut - then it will raise blood levels of total folate.

[Jo5454 in reply to fbirder]

Thanks very much fbirder, I thought the MTHFR gene indicated you cant absorb folate and would need methylfolate? So are you saying that the folate test can indicate you have quite low or high levels of folate but still have a MTHFR gene mutation please?

When you mention the test measures all types of folate combined do you mean the Drs folate test or homocysteine please?

I'm not supplementing with folic acid at the mo so it would be ok to try the homocysteine test?

Thanks once again...

[fbirder in reply to Jo5454]

When you take folic acid it is converted into dihydrofolate, which is converted into tetrahydrofolate, which is converted to methylenetetrahydrofolate which is converted to methyltetrahydrofolate which is used with B12 to convert hCys into methionine.

The folate assay measures all of these different molecules, plus some others, and gives a result that is a total of all the different types.

The MTHFR enzyme is responsible for the conversion of methylenetetrahydrofolate to methyltetrahydrofolate. It has nothing at all to do with absorption. If you do have that mutation I mentioned then your body still does the conversion - just not as efficiently as somebody without the mutation. For most people it's not enough to make any difference.

Some people have realised that MTHFR is a great way of making money by scaring people into believing that they need to buy special supplements, plus the books, videos and courses about the imaginary problems. They also rake it in from the advertising on their crappy websites..

Folate turnover, unlike B12, is fairly rapid. So going without supplements for a week or two should allow you to get a representative hCys test.

[Jo5454 in reply to fbirder]

Thanks so much for taking the time with such a detailed explanantion, that's brilliant.

Could I please ask one more thing...in your experience do you think folate results would need to be underange for homocysteine levels to be greatly raised? or could you still have high folate results and high homocysteine?

Many thanks

[Jo5454 in reply to fbirder]

Thank you once again fbirder and eal791 for asking the and answering the question I was about to :). I was diagnosed with a functional b12 def last year via an MMA test (private!) I'm concerned as to whether I should check homocysteine levels (asked for it a few times from dr, before and since I resorted to an mma, as he never believed b12 was my problem, but am getting nowhere) as I'm still far from well, even on monthly injections. Just wondering whether it could be helpful and at least beneficial to rule out.

At least I know its a reputable test now, thank you