In the fourth of a series of articles on men's health, Nutritionist Belinda Rennie looks at one of the newest and most important indicators of health, homocysteine.

Have you ever heard of the H word? Homocysteine is a protein resulting from the breakdown of an amino acid and is found in the blood, preferably in low levels. We covered it briefly in the first article as one of the tests that can give you an understanding of your risk profile for heart disease. Having just attended workshops by Nutritionist, Patrick Holford at the recent “Wellbeing” show I realize that high homocysteine levels can significantly increase your risk for not only heart disease and stroke but certain cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease especially in men. In women it can be connected with pregnancy problems and neural tube defects as well.

It is only in the last decade that homocysteine has hit the headlines and the good news is that high levels can easily be reversed by lifestyle changes and taking nutritional supplements. It works like this. Normally the amino acid methionine from protein in our food is broken down into beneficial substances in biochemical pathways in the liver. If there is a deficiency of vitamins B6, B12 or folic acid the pathway doesn't work so well and there is an accumulation of the intermediate compound, homocysteine which can be toxic.

High levels of homocysteine can damage arteries, make the blood more prone to clotting and promote the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) implicated in the laying down of fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis). Homocysteine also damages DNA, the brain and interferes with the formation of collagen predisposing you to osteoporosis. It is seen as an independent risk factor for heart disease and one of the major factors that will predict how long you will live.

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Measuring homocysteine is as simple as having a blood test. A level of six mmol/litre is recommended with anything over fifteen mmol/l being considered high. An easy guide is to divide your age by ten which gives you an average figure to aim for. Reducing high levels of homocysteine through diet, lifestyle and nutritional supplements can reduce your risk of heart disease and strokes by seventy-five per cent, halve your risk of Alzheimer's, reduce your risk of cancer by a third and substantially reduce your risk of diabetes.

The H factor diet revolves around providing enough of the foods rich in folic acid (beans and greens), Vitamin B6 and B 12 (fish, lean meats, fermented soy products and seaweeds) whilst supporting optimal liver detoxification.

The recommendations are to eat more fish and vegetable protein and reduce fatty meats giving you the best source of good quality fats and vitamin B6 and B12. Aim to eat fish at least three times per week and include more beans, soy products and seaweeds. If you are vegetarian it is harder to get your requirements for B6 and B12 so plan to eat lentils, beans, tofu and tempeh daily. Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. This includes two portions of fruit and three of vegetables, preferably green leafy vegetables which can boost your intake of folic acid. Vegetables should make up nearly half of your plate at meal times.

Reduce chemical stimulants like tea, coffee, cola, alcohol and quit smoking and make changes in your life to reduce stressors. Support your dietary changes with a supplement that contains Vitamin B6, B12, folic acid (in a B complex) as they work together in a package. An antioxidant containing Vitamin A, C, E, zinc, selenium and magnesium is also essential. Solgar makes a specific supplement called “Homocysteine Modulator” which also contains beneficial cofactors that work with the B group vitamins (available from Life pharmacy). For more information go to www.thehfactor.com

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