• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2007

Elevated blood levels of homocysteine (a sulfur-containing amino acid) have been linked to increased risk of cerebrovascular disease including Alzheimer's disease. A recent study suggests that elevated homocysteine levels may lead to replicative senescence in vitro called 'permanent arrest of cell cycle' caused by oxidative stress. In this study, serum homocysteine level in rat was reduced by Lentinus edodes-powder diet, resulting in the reduced level of oxidative stress in rat brain. In addition, homocysteine-induced replicative senescence treated with or without Lentinus edodes-powder was analyzed by population doubling in vitro. The Lentinus edodes-powder induced a increased number of population doubling in primary neuron cell isolated from rat-cerebral cortex. This indicates that Lentinus edodes-powder would delay a homocysteine-induced aging of neuron cells in brain, showing a possible role in preventing cerebrovascular diseases including Alzheimer's disease.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases is a major cause of death and is responsible for 23.8% of deaths in Korea. Clinical symptoms manifest in adulthood, but susceptibility begins in utero. Elevated homocysteine levels and adiposity might be linked to a greater risk in children as well as adults. We hypothesized that those who have simultaneous risk for folate and adiposity would be affected with elevated homocysteine levels at 3 years of age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: From the ongoing birth cohort at Ewha Womans University Mok-Dong Hospital, we compared adiposity parameters, serum homocysteine, and folate levels in 238 children (118 boys and 120 girls) at three years of age. The relationship between birth outcome, current weight and body mass index (BMI), postnatal growth, and homocysteine level were assessed using correlation and general linear model. Additionally, we assessed the combined effect between blood folate status and adiposity on current homocysteine levels. RESULTS: Birth characteristics were not correlated with homocysteine. Current weight, BMI, upper-arm circumference, skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and hip circumference were positively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.05). Folate level was negatively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.0001). A relative high anthropometric measure which is compatible with adiposity and low folate level was associated with high homocysteine levels. CONCLUSION: We found a combined effect of adiposity and folate levels with homocysteine levels at three years of age. This implicates the beneficial role of folate supplementation in the high-risk population at an early age.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2004

Elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects, low birth weight, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, and other maternal or fetal complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the maternal plasma homocysteine level during pregnancy and to investigate the relationship between the plasma homocysteine concentrations and pregnancy outcomes. Venous blood samples were drawn from 82 pregnant women who were grouped with gestational age, 1st trimester (n = 26), 2nd trimester (n = 27) and 3rd trimester (n = 29). The concentration of plasma homocysteine was analyzed by HPLC, and pregnancy outcomes including gestational length, maternal weight gain, infant birth weight, and Apgar score were collected with the medical records of the pregnant women. The levels of plasma homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester were 5.7 $$\pm$ 3.7\mu㏖/L,\;5.6 \pm4.1\mu㏖/L\; and\; 7.0\pm 4.5\mu㏖/L$, respectively, which had not showed any significant difference. The result of this study showed that in case of the pregnant women at the 1st trimester, the maternal plasma homocysteine level of the pregnant women whose gestational length was less than 38 weeks was significantly high (p < 0.01) compared to that of the pregnants whose gestational length was more than 38 weeks. And also, the level of homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 2nd trimester was significantly low when the maternal weight gain was high (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that maternal plasma homocysteine level at early stage of gestation will be a predicter of gestational length and maternal weight gain.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.503-510
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Increased serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been reported to be related to the occurrence of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. High serum Hcy levels are also related to the development of secondary stroke and all-cause mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of high serum homocysteine level and relating factors, and the change over the 10 month period post-stroke. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Consecutive stroke patients who were admitted to the Asan Medical Center were enrolled. Ten months after the onset of stroke, an interview with a structured questionnaire was performed and blood samples were obtained for the biochemical parameters. Nutritional status was determined using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) score and dietary nutrient intakes were also obtained using a 24 hour recall method. RESULTS: Out of 203 patients, 84% were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, and 26% had high homocysteine levels at 10 months post-stroke. Using logistic regression, the factors related with high homocysteine levels at 10 months post-stroke included heavy alcohol consumption (P = 0.020), low MNA scores (P = 0.026), low serum vitamin $B_{12}$ (P = 0.021) and low serum folate levels (P = 0.003). Of the 156 patients who had normal homocysteine levels at admission, 36 patients developed hyperhomocysteinemia 10 months post-stroke, which was related to heavy alcohol consumption (P = 0.013). Persistent hyperhomocysteinemia, observed in 22 patients (11%), was related to male sex (P = 0.031), old age (P = 0.042), low vitamin $B_6$ intake (P = 0.029), and heavy alcohol consumption (P = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Hyperhomocysteinemia is common in post-stroke, and is related to malnutrition, heavy alcohol drinking and low serum level of folate and vitamin $B_{12}$. Strategies to prevent or manage high homocysteine levels should consider these factors.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2007

Homocysteine is a sulfur amino-acid produced during the metabolism of the essential amino acid methionine. Moderately increased plasma total homocysteine concentration have been implicated as a risk factor for occlusive vascular disease. Smoking is known to be one of the most significant factors leading to elevated plasma homocysteine concentration. However, the main component of a cigarette, nicotine has been not studied whether it is linked directly to the increase of homocysteine concentration in blood. The metabolism of homocysteine is closely linked to that of its cofactors, folate. Here, the effects of nicotine and folic acid on amount of plasma homocysteine were studied. The concentration of homocysteine was increased by about 70% in rat plasma after nicotine treatment for one month. This increased concentration of homocysteine was reduced by about 60% at 6 hours later after folate treatment. Thus, nicotine should be directly involved in increasing the concentration of plasma homocysteine. Also it is suggested that these results can be and applied and used for controlling withdrawal symptoms after stopping smoking as one of oriental medicine formulas.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.472-482
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on blood pressure, plasma lipids, folate, and homocysteine levels in smokers and non-smokers of college male students in Gyeonggi Area. The nutrient intakes were determined by a 24hr-recall method. The subjects were divided into six groups: vitamin C sup-plementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin C and E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), respectively. There were no significant differences between the smokers and nonsmokers in terms of anthropometric measurements. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in smokers than that of non-smokers. There was no significant difference in energy and other nutrients intakes between smokers and non-smokers. In plasma lipids levels, smokers had higher plasma triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol concentration than that of non-smokers (p < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol level of smokers had a tendency to be lower than that of non-smokers. In smokers, AI, TPH, LPH were significantly higher than that of non-smokers (p < 0.01). Plasma folate, homocysteine levels were not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in smokers: In vitamin C supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly in-creased (p < 0.01) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p < 0.01). In vitamin E supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.05). In vitamin C and E supplementation group, LPH was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in non-smokers: HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p <0.05) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p <0.05) by vitamin C supplementation group. Plasma homocysteine level was decreased by vitamin E supplementation group in non-smokers (p < 0.01). The results of this study showed that smoking had a tendency to increase plasma lipids levels that factor into the risk of coronary heart disease. It is considered that antioxidant vitamin supplementation in smokers had a tendency to decrease cardiovascular disease than in nonsmokers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2000

Hyperhomocysteinemia has been shown to be associated with increased risks for macrovascular angiopathy. The present study was conducted to document the relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and the presence of macrovascular angiopath in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus. Plasma total homocysteine was determined by a HPLC-fluorescence detection method in a total of 238 subjects, 127 diabetic patients and 111 control. Dietary information including folate intake was assessed by a 24-hour recall in a total 113 subjects, 70 diabetic patients and 43 control. Folate intake was significantly lower inn patients with diabetes mellitus than that in the control. The lowered folate intake in the diabetic patients was mainly due to reduced intakes of fruits and vegetables. The average plasma homocysteine level of patients with MA was 14.2$\mu$㏖/L, which was significantly higher than that of either the patients without MA(11.4$\mu$㏖/L) or the control(11.5$\mu$㏖/L). Twenty five percent of the diabetic patients were positively correlated with age (r=0.20), body weight (r=0.28), body mass index (r=0.28), body mass index (r=0.18), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.20), and total cholesterol (r=0.14). cigarette smokers had significantly higher levels of plasma homocysteine than the non-smokers. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate whether folate or other B vitamin supplementation could be beneficial for the prevention of hyperhomocysteinemia or macrovascular angiopathy in the diabetic patients.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.501-510
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• 2010

This study was conducted to assess blood components caused by metabolic syndrome increasing in postmenopausal elderly women. The blood samples of these subjects were analyzed to investigate the correlation of plasma taurine levels and plasma homocysteine levels, and serum lipid profiles. The subjects were 33 elderly women($72.8{\pm}4.4$ years). Their mean height, weight and BMI were $150.5{\pm}5.7\;cm$, $57.5{\pm}6.3\;kg$ and $25.4{\pm}2.5\;kg/m^2$. 16 women of this study subjects have been chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. Their fasting blood glucose was $98.2{\pm}24.0\;mg/d{\ell}$, and their plasma total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride(TG) were $216.5{\pm}29.9$, $52.1{\pm}10.7$, $145.7{\pm}27.9$ and $141.2{\pm}59.6\;mg/d{\ell}$, respectively. Their blood lipid profiles were higher than the standard levels of metabolic syndrome, thus these levels of lipid profiles may play a role as risk factors on the elderly person. Plasma taurine level of the subjects was $278.5{\pm}48.1\;{\mu}mol/{\ell}$, and their plasma homocysteine level was $12.8{\pm}2.9\;{\mu}mol/{\ell}$. The concentration of plasma vitamin $B_{12}$ was significantly decreased by aging(p<0.05). The correlation of plasma homocysteine and plasma folate showed significantly negative(p<0.05). Thus, the decreased levels of plasma vitamin $B_{12}$ and folate by aging might affect on the plasma homocyteine concentration acting as a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases for elderly person. The correlation of plasma taurine and hemoglobin, and their platelet showed significantly positive(p<0.05). In conclusion, the diet on the elderly person is one of the important factors to prevent their health from chronic diseases. This study recommends that well balanced diets are needed for elderly person to keep their health and prevent from metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2009

In patients with type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress could be increased by their metabolic changes. Elevated plasma homocysteine is considered as one of markers of enhanced oxidative stress. Due to oxidative stress, some complications like cardiovascular or renal diseases may develop in type 2 diabetes patients. Plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased if folate status were inadequate. Protective effects against oxidative stress may be diminished if the status of anti-oxidative nutrient as vitamin C was poor. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate status of folate and vitamin C in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folate and/or ascorbate on blood glycated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$) level, serum concentrations of homocysteine and cholesterol, plasma oxidized low density-lipoprotein (LDL), concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 92 type 2 diabetes patients participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folate-supplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A received 1,000 mg of ascorbate, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of ascorbate daily for 4 weeks. Supplementation of folate or ascorbate resulted to increase serum folate level or plasma ascorbate concentration apparently, respectively. Folate supplementation not ascorbate seemed to decrease plasma concentrations of homocysteine and oxidized LDL and reduce plasma GSH-Px activity. There might not be synergic effect of the supplementation of folate plus ascorbate. The results indicate that oxidative stress in the patients with type 2 diabetes may lower mainly by folate supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2014

Objectives : Mild cognitive impairment(MCI) and dementia of Alzheimer's type(AD) are characterized by progressive decline of cognitive abilities and a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms like depression. Among various diagnostic tools of AD, many studies showed that elevated levels of serum total homocysteine are associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. We investigated whether elevated homocysteine concentrations are associated with depressive symptoms in MCI and AD. Methods : A total of 86 patients diagnosed with MCI or AD participated. Total serum homocysteine levels in fasting blood samples were measured. We examined cognitive symptoms by MMSE-KC, Global Deterioration Scale(GDS), Clinical dementia rating(CDR) and depressive symptoms by Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale(K-GDS). Results : The total serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in MCI with depression than in MCI without depression. There was no significant difference in the mean homocysteine levels between AD patients with depression and AD patients without depression. The total homocysteine levels showed a negative correlation with MMSE-KC and a positive correlation with CDR, GDS. Conclusions : These findings suggest that elevated homocysteine level is a risk factor for the decline of cognitive function and depression. We found a significant relationship between elevated serum homocysteine level and depressive symptoms in MCI. But our study had several limitations, thus more research is needed to confirm this finding.