HCY Guard®

When homocysteine (HCY) levels go out of range, blood vessel and circulatory concerns seem to follow —suggesting the importance of balanced HCY for heart health.

Why does HCY go out of range?

Among other reasons, low levels of vitamins B6, B12 and folate are associated with unbalanced HCY. This may be because these three B vitamins are cofactors in HCY metabolism; they help the body use and eliminate HCY properly Unfortunately, some older adults have a harder time absorbing B vitamin nutrition and may fall short on the recommended intake for HCY support.

HCY Guard is formulated with vitamins B6, B12 (as methylcobalamin) and folate (B9) in precise ratios—supplying the right B vitamin nutrition to help support your HCY levels already within normal range.

HCY Guard is presented in pleasant-tasting soft tablets that dissolve in the mouth. This delivery system encourages absorption to help optimize HCY Guard’s nutritional support for your cardiovascular health.

The HCY Guard proprietary blend adds complementary nutrients for even more support, including:

• Choline: An important cofactor in homocysteine metabolism
• L-Cysteine: Helps convert HCY into methionine, a beneficial amino acid
• CoEnzyme Q-10: Extra support for healthy blood vessels and circulation

Homocysteine is an amino acid that helps create proteins and is naturally produced in our bodies. We require homocysteine and must maintain the correct levels. High levels of homocysteine may make your blood clot more easily than it should, increasing the risk of blood vessel blockages, which then lead to other health risks. High homocysteine levels in the blood can also damage the lining of the arteries, which can lead to a stroke, heart attack or pulmonary embolism.

Homocysteine is normally changed into other amino acids for use by the body. Vitamin B helps your body use homocysteine. If your homocysteine level is too high, you may not be getting enough B vitamins.

Maintaining Good Homocysteine Levels

The complex metabolism of homocysteine within the body is highly dependent on certain vitamin factors. Deficiencies in vitamin B12, folic acid and vitamin B6 are associated with elevated homocysteine levels.

Other factors thought to raise levels are poor diet, poor lifestyle — especially smoking and high coffee and alcohol intake — some prescription drugs, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and poor thyroid function. The level of homocysteine in the plasma is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for disease and seen as a predictor of potential health problems such as cardiovascular disease, circulation issues and Alzheimer’s.

The good news is that homocysteine levels can be tested, and high homocysteine levels can, in many cases, be normalized through diet and vitamin supplementation. The most important nutrients that help lower homocysteine levels are folate, the vitamins B12, B6 and B2, zinc and trimethylglycine (TMG). Supplements are also a great way to get back to a healthy homocysteine level and to maintain that level.

Testing

Your doctor may suggest homocysteine testing for early detection of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, which may be signs of low homocysteine levels. A homocysteine test is a blood test that you can request as a part of your annual physical with your primary care provider. In a healthy person, homocysteine levels are around 5 to 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L). Nearly all of that homocysteine converts to other proteins. If you have more than 50 mcmol/L, the excess homocysteine may damage the lining of your arteries.

When homocysteine is too low, you are not making adequate amounts of SAMe or cysteine. When you don’t have enough homocysteine to recycle into methionine to make SAMe, you do not make enough methyltransferase (i.e., you are undermethylating).

Elevated blood homocysteine concentration increases the risk of stroke, especially among hypertensive individuals. Homocysteine is largely affected by the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism and folate status.

This does not mean that you are destined to have a stroke if you have elevated homocysteine levels; it just means there is an increased risk for a stroke.

How Do I Prevent a Stroke?

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for all Americans and a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

You can help prevent a stroke by living a healthy lifestyle and controlling any health conditions you may already have.

Here are some tips to help reduce the chances of having a stroke:

• Choose healthy foods and drinks.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Don’t smoke.
• Get regular physical activity.
• Limit alcohol.
• Check your cholesterol level.
• Control your blood pressure level.

Stay Aware of Homocysteine Levels

We don’t hear a lot about homocysteine, but it is important to keep aware of your homocysteine levels by checking with a doctor to make it part of your annual blood work or getting an individual test. Supplements like HCY Guard with its complementary nutrients of choline, L-cysteine and CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) may be very helpful.

What you need to know about homocysteine

Homocysteine (HCY) is an amino acid in the blood that’s needed for normal body processes. When you have too much of it, though (a condition called “hyperhomocysteinemia”), it irritates blood vessels. This can lead to serious health issues: blocked arteries, clots and eventually a higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke.1,2

Unfortunately, this condition has no symptoms.1 That’s why you should know your risk for having high blood levels of HCY and talk with your healthcare provider about what you can do to guard your heart and your health.

Get your HCY levels checked

Maybe you don’t smoke or have high blood pressure or any of the other well-known risk factors for heart problems. But if you or someone in your family has had heart disease, the American Heart Association suggests that you have your healthcare provider check your blood for high homocysteine.2

Exclusive blend of nutrients

When you know the potential for harm of high HCY, you’ll want to know about HCY Guard. It contains a proprietary blend of seven nutrients, carefully selected and processed under the most rigorous standards. With HCY Guard, you get the essential amino acids dimethylglycine, L-lysine, L-cysteine, DL-methionine and choline, along with the nutrients Inositol and CoQ-10.