Taking a B-vitamin may be the most important nutrient for heart health.

There is an incredible link between B-vitamins and heart health.  Here’s how it goes.

Some people have an inherent genetic vulnerability toward altered homocysteine metabolism.  Homocysteine is found in all of our cells.  In simple terms, there is a 8-step process in the cells that breaks down one specific amino acid (methionine) to yield homocysteine.  In some people, this metabolic process is hindered such that homocysteine builds up in the cells and/or the blood stream.  Research has shown that, in these vulnerable individuals, the elevated homocysteine in the blood stream can scratch and scar the inside of the blood vessels.

Homocysteine, then, is sometimes referred to as “the silent killer.”  Individuals who have an elevated serum homocysteine level (above 8 mg/dl) during a fasting blood test have a greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

How Do B-Vitamins Support Heart H?