Your homocysteine score predicts your risk of more than 100 diseases and medical conditions. It is a very strong indicator of your risk of cardiovascular disease, but as homocysteine levels are dependent upon a supply of particular nutrients, imbalances are also very easy to fix.
Recent findings suggest that laboratory testing for plasma homocysteine levels can improve the assessment of risk for cardiovascular disease. This may be particularly important in patients with a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease, but in whom the well-established risk factors such smoking, high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure do not exist.
What causes elevated homocysteine levels?
Homocysteine.
This is a blood test that requires a blood draw. You will need to arrange a blood draw via your GP or private phlebotomy service. The fee for any blood draw is not included with your test fee.
Samples must be received at the laboratory within 24 hours of the blood draw. Do not book a blood draw on a Friday-Sunday as the test needs to arrive when the lab is open.
Certain medications and supplements may influence the plasma levels of homocysteine measured in this test.
Drug therapy involving S-adenosyl methionine may show falsely elevated levels of homocysteine.
If you are taking methotrexate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, nitrous oxide, anti-convulsants, or 6-azauridine triacetates, please note that these substances can interfere with homocysteine levels.
Please speak to your GP or practitioner before completing this test so that they are aware of the likely impact on your results.
Do not discontinue any medication without first speaking to your GP.
2 years and above.
Please return via a next day service Monday – Thursday only. A courier option is sent with your test kit. You pay the laboratory directly for this test and also the return courier if you use the service. You can also make your own arrangements for returning your samples via a next day service.
10 working days.
Your test results will be emailed to you.
All sample reports are for representational and educational purposes only. Biomarkers, references ranges, results, and all other data may differ from actual reports. All data included in no way represents an actual patient. Any comparisons of results to actual patients is completely incidental.
Updated April 2020
