Reduce homocysteine concentration in blood

Homocysteine is related to severity of artery hardening

What injures arteries :Elevated homocysteine levels

-   Lowering homocysteine levels seems only to provide benefit over the long term.    By preventing it from degrading and inhibiting formation of matrix proteins: collagen, elastin and proteoglycans, the 3 main structural components of the arterial wall.

Homocysteine level can be reduced with B6, B9 and B12 vitamins:

-   Deficiencies in the entire B-vitamin complex are a consequence of excess sugar

-   B vitamins are heat-sensitive

-   B6 (Pyridoxine)

•  Why deficient?     B6 deficiencies occur partly because B1 and B2 added to white flour interfere with its proper use, and partly because it is destroyed during milk pasteurization;

•   B6 seems to protect against oxysterols;

•  Some Vitamin B6 Forms May have Neurological Side Effects.   A few people may be sensitive to B6 vitamin as pyridoxine hydrochloride, its common supplemented form. Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD, eliminated neurological side effects among thousands of volunteers by using pharmaceutical grade B6, 200 to 2,000 milligrams daily (in divided doses) for up to two years.

Trimethylglycine (TMG, betaine) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimethylglycine

•   Suggested B6 dose - 200 mg B6 (half as complex) with 400 IU vitamin E, plus vitamin C, selenium, magnesium

-   Trimethylglycine / betaine donates a methyl group to convert homocysteine to methionine;

-   Betaine hydrochloride ("betaine HCl") is a satisfactory supplemental form of betaine.   The chloride salt of TMG, it is used as a digestive aid. The hydrochloride is particularly helpful for persons with insufficient acid production in the stomach. Betaine HCl has an acidic taste whereas anhydrous TMG ("anhydrous betaine") tastes sweet with a metallic aftertaste and is usually produced from sugar beets (as is betaine hydrochloride). Both are active as methyl donors, as 'betaine' is retained in both forms. Betaine HCl (hydrochloride) has a chloride ion, but is otherwise identical, chemically, to TMG.