Homocysteine Levels

Articles by Dr. Erdman are for informational purposes, and are not to be taken as specific medical advice.

There has been a dramatic rise in cardiovascular disease in this country. Arterial hardening or the loss of elasticity of the artery wall is a leading cause of heart attack deaths, coronary artery disease, and stroke.

Dr. Kilmer McCully originally reported in 1969 that elevated homocysteine levels were associated with advanced atherosclerosis (plaquing) of the arteries and premature death. He based the findings on a study of children born with a genetic disorder called homocystinuria. These patients had genetically induced super high levels of homocysteine, and they often died at very young ages with advanced hardening of the arteries.

Homocysteine is an inflammatory amino acid that is produced as a byproduct of metabolism of the protein methionine. During metabolism of methionine, significant levels of B₆, B₁₂, folate, B₂ and magnesium must be present in order to be synthesized properly into glutathione. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that protects against oxidative stress.

Germaphobe

Articles by Dr. Erdman are for informational purposes, and are not to be taken as specific medical advice.

Are you a germaphobe?  Must you have antibacterial soaps, wipes and hand sanitizers available at all times?  Do you really believe that if you touch a germ you will get some cold, virus or disease?  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you don’t live in a germ free bubble.  These bugs are around you at all times.  In order for a particular germ to invade your defenses, there needs to be a weakness to exploit.  In other words, the ground(your body) needs to be fertile(weak) before you can ‘catch’ anything.

The use and abuse of antibiotic wipes, sanitizers, creams and soaps are a hazard to your health.  Triclosan and Triclocarban are the most common chemicals added to cutting boards, lunch boxes, mattresses, and hand sanitizers.  The attempt to control microbial spread has been a categoric failure. 

A growing body of evidence now suggests that the over application of triclosan is a leading cause of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.  It is bioaccumulatory in fish and other organic organisms.  Animal studies show that triclosan may alter the way hormones work in the body.  Triclosan is very good at killing off weak bacteria, which allows the virulent bacteria to thrive in their absence.