Category Archives: homocysteine
Homocysteine, B Vitamins, Brain Atrophy and Mild Cognitive Impairment
A new PLoS article has been published, arguing that The accelerated rate of brain atrophy in elderly with mild cognitive impairment can be slowed by treatment with homocysteine-lowering B vitamins I don’t have time to deal with this in as … Continue reading
Filed under hometesting, homocysteine, yorktest
Patrick Holford Claims More People Die, Prematurely, From Cardiovascular Disease Than Actually Die, Prematurely, From All Causes
Patrick Holford persists in exaggerating the number of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease by approx. 500%. He also claims that doctors are uninterested in diet and lifestyle interventions. We discuss his errors in some detail. Continue reading
Filed under Holford, home test, hometesting, homocysteine, patrick holford, supplements
Patrick Holford Promotes His Apocryphal Homocysteine Gospel in The News of the World
Former Visiting Professor Patrick Holford gives the News of the World the benefit of his insight into homocysteine but makes some suprisingly basic errors. Especially surprising as this is such a recurrent theme in Holford’s entrepreneurial scheme for selling diagnostic tests, nutritionista consultations and ‘corrective’ supplements. It’s time for Holford’s wisdom on homocysteine to be retired to ‘apocrypha’ in his Optimum Nutrition Bible. Continue reading
Filed under cancer, H Factors, health, homocysteine, patrick holford, supplements
Homocysteine: Really Not a Crystal Ball
Former Visiting Professor Patrick Holford of Teesside University frequently advocates that everyone should test their homocysteine levels and if it breaches his notion of what is high, they should take his recommended supplements to reduce those levels (at a cost of around £700-1000 pp pa). The findings from recent trials report that although vitamin supplements successfully reduce homocysteine levels, there is no strong evidence of related clinical benefits such as a reduction in major cardiovascular events. Continue reading
Filed under Holford, home test, homocysteine, patrick holford, supplements
Polypills or Vitamins for Homocysteine and Cardiovascular Risks: the Hype is Ahead of the Evidence
There is renewed interest in the benefits of polypills for the over-55s. The claim is that each of the proposed components of this combination pill has already been clinically validated so it would only require small-scale trials to validate that it behaves in the same way so this product may come to market quite quickly. One of the components is folic acid to reduce homocysteine (Hcy) levels. However, the findings from recent trials concerned with primary prevention report that although vitamin supplements successfully reduce Hcy levels, there is no strong evidence of related clinical benefits such as a reduction in major cardiovascular events. Continue reading
Filed under Holford, homocysteine, patrick holford, supplements, vitamins
Patrick Holford, Alzheimer’s Disease, Homocysteine Tests and Supplements
Professors Patrick Holford and David Smith choose the Daily Record to announce their remarkable findings that Alzheimer’s Disease is preventable with just a “few simple diet and lifestyle changes”. Holford advocates the use of a simple blood test to detect risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Yet, there is no clear clinical evidence to support the notion that lowering raised homocysteine levels actually results in a significant clinical outcome. As recently as 2006, Smith wrote this about a role for B vitamins in preventing AD:
Large-scale randomised trials of homocysteine-lowering B vitamins are needed to see if a proportion of dementia in the world can be prevented.
So, if these haven’t been done, is it appropriate to advocate testing and supplementation? Continue reading
Filed under Alzheimer's, B12, Brain Bio Centre, Holford, home test, homocysteine, patrick holford, supplements, vitamin B12, vitamins
How Relevant Are Holford’s Claims About Homocysteine Levels? Part 2
Patrick Holford gives a remarkable overview of history to support his claims for the value of homocysteine testing in helping you “to eliminate your risk of ever having a heart attack”. He swoops from autopsies on egyptian mummies to unsubstantiated … Continue reading
Filed under folate, folic acid, H Factors, home test, homocysteine, james braly, patrick holford, Refsum, restenosis, vitamin B12, vitamins
How Relevant Are Holford’s Claims About Homocysteine Levels? Part 1
Patrick Holford and Dr. James Braly wrote a book about homocysteine and assert that it is “the best single indicator of whether you are likely to live long or die young: The H-Factor Solution. According to Holford and Braly, homocysteine … Continue reading
Filed under hometesting, homocysteine, james braly, patrick holford, vitamins
Homocysteine: Helpful or Hoax Asks Patrick Holford
I was disappointed in the quality of evidence that Patrick Holford put forward to support his claims that we could learn, How to Eliminate Your Risk of Ever Having a Heart Attack. Since then, I’ve been reading through the intervention … Continue reading
Filed under folate, folic acid, fortification, homocysteine, patrick holford, Refsum, supplements
Never Mind the Research Quality, Feel the Fear: Justifying Homocysteine Tests
I was recently trying to make sense of Patrick Holford’s support for homocysteine testing and his remarkable confidence in his own guidance: How to Eliminate Your Risk of Ever Having a Heart Attack. One of the irritations about reading Holford’s … Continue reading
Filed under cardiovascular disease, heart attack, Holford, homocysteine, patrick holford, stroke
