A 'not too deep' explanation of Homocysteine, an amino acid produced from diet and long forgotten, till now.
High levels can lead to problems and are kept in check by Folate and B12 ,so another reason to make sure these deficiences don't exist -apart from their use in the conversion of T4 in the liver.
Thanks Tegz. Very interesting and I am so pleased my new bottles of Jarrow's B12 and Folate arrived last week.
Homocysteine was found in the arterial walls along with other ingredients of plaque - namely cholesterol ! Well there was a pill for the cholesterol but only vitamins to improve the homocysteine levels....so it wasn't brought into mainstream medicine. It is supposedly a better indicator of strokes and heart issues than cholesterol....and is often high when cholesterol is also high. Reduce the homocysteine and then the cholesterol can often lower too....possibly a more natural way. Homocysteine is often mentioned in books on nutrition.
My homocysteine and cholesterol levels were fine when I was first diagnosed in 2005 with Hashimotos and then both slowly climbed upwards on T4. I have now been T3 only for almost a year so it will be interesting to see how things are with the next blood tests - due soon.
Thank you for the post and the link.....
I have never had my homocysteine checked but when I was first diagnosed in 2002 my cholesterol levels were raised and the doctor said high cholesterol was one of the diagnostic factors for hypothyroidism. When properly medicated on T4 my cholesterol levels fell. This scenario played out again 3/4 years ago when my TSH rose to 44 unexpectedly and my cholesterol along with it. I am now on increased dose of T4/T3 and my cholesterol has fallen again.
In those days I would never have know about homocysteine or B12 and folate, but it might be a good idea to get homocysteine checked out.
Thanks for the link Tegz
....golly gosh !! - hang onto that doctor of yours - he sounds good ! One that actually connects raised cholesterol with the Thyroid ! Don't let the cholesterol get too low - our brains need it ! the body produces most of the cholesterol - and so it is there for a reason....
Sadly, the original lady doctor was a BUPA employee. My present GP is, as you would have predicted, totally unaware of the connection between cholesterol and thyroid and has tried to put me on statins. Without statins my cholesterol fell from 7.4 to 6.2 (with a good ratio of HDL/LDL) but haven't had it checked for a while as I am still trying to get settled on a T4/T3 combo that suits me.
Ah, Statins- another 'drug for all' having questions raised about it -from recent press reports.
...I have read a report somewhere that statins do not help women at all. Only beneficial to men after a heart attack/event....and then only a very small percentage. Think it was on Chris Kressers website.....
Thanks Tegz,I understood that,very useful.x
Thank you for this very useful link Tegz - now I know why my cholesterol has gone down from 7.2 to 6. It was since starting B Complex and extra B12. Always knew it was my missing link. Janet.
Great article - thanks!
OT (ish).... Low transthyretin and high homocysteine 
B12 Deficiency Symptoms? New Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cobalamin and Folate Disorders, from the BCSH
B12 and Folate 
