Life Extension® has long warned members about the dangers of high homocysteine and has advised supplementation with vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 to help maintain healthy arteries. Many doctors and blood laboratories consider homocysteine levels of 5–15 micromoles per liter blood to be normal. However, recent reports indicate that a homocysteine level greater than 12 micromoles per liter can double the risk of heart attack.1 One study found that each 3 micromole per liter increase in homocysteine caused a 35% increase in heart problems.2 Because there is no safe level of homocysteine, Life Extension recommends keeping levels as low as possible, preferably below 8 micromoles per liter.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of older individuals, folic acid combined with vitamin B12 supplementation significantly reduced plasma homocysteine concentration by 36%.3

For those seeking to lower their homocysteine, Homocysteine Resist provides a potent dose of 250 mg of vitamin B6, along with 400 micrograms of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (the biologically active form of folic acid) and 500 micrograms of vitamin B12.

^Quatrefolic® is a registered trademark of Gnosis S.p.A.

Vitamin B deficiency occurs in 30% of seniors and 55% of the elderly and is correlated with elevated homocysteine levels. Do not use this product if your homocysteine levels are at or below acceptable levels. Consuming more than 2000 mg of vitamin B6 daily can result in loss of muscle coordination, tingling sensations in the extremities, and degeneration of nerve tissue. Similar effects may be experienced if more than 200-300 mg of B6 is consumed per day over the course of months or years, especially if taken without other B complex vitamins. Consult your physician before using this product if you are taking levodopa (L-dopa).