Homocysteine

Homocysteine is an amino acid, a building block of proteins, that is created in the body through the breakdown of methionine, another amino acid. During this process, homocysteine can be recycled back into methionine or converted into cysteine with the help of B vitamins, specifically folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), and pyridoxine (B6). Properly functioning metabolic pathways are essential to maintain homocysteine concentrations within an optimal range. Elevated levels can reflect disruptions in these vitamin-dependent conversions and may be relevant to several physiological processes.