High homocysteine levels in the blood may be linked to signs of depression in men. To find out, a team of French researchers from the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Versailles recently looked at a large community sample including both men and women of many ages.[1] They confirmed what previous studies have shown, that there is a definite link between elevated homocysteine and depression in men. If you are a man with frequent episodes of low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities (classic signs of depression in men), you may want to ask your doctor for a homocysteine test. If your levels are high, you can easily lower them with natural therapies. 

What is homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood, too much which is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases by promoting atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in blood vessels), damaging the inner lining of arteries, and promoting blood clots. High homocysteine can be a sign of B vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B12 and folate, since these vitamins are needed to break it down. Specifically, these B vitamins are needed for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine in the synthesis of S-adenosyl-methionine, an important methyl donor in many of the body’s biochemical reactions. Recent studies have associated high homocysteine not just with cardiovascular disease, but with many chronic diseases, such as dementia, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, and signs of depression in men.

In the latest study, French researchers confirm the link between homocysteine and signs of depression in men but not women

The French investigators examined the association between serum total homocysteine levels and major depressive disorder in a total of 3392 men and women aged 35-66 years.  Their findings, published recently in the medical journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, indicate that the association between homocysteine and depression may be different for men than it is for women.

High total homocysteine measured from fasting blood samples (defined as a concentration greater than or equal to 15 μmol/L) was associated with a greater chance of being diagnosed with major depression among men but not women. Men whose homocysteine levels were greater than or equal to 15 μmol/L had 71 times the odds of having major depression in their lifetime compared to men whose homocysteine was normal.

Lowering homocysteine can reduce odds of depression

A previous study published in 2008 in JAMA Psychiatry also showed how higher concentrations of homocysteine increase the risk of depression in men, but that study only looked at men aged 70 and older.[2] Importantly, those researchers also looked into whether lowering homocysteine with B vitamins could reduce the severity of depression symptoms. They concluded that lowering homocysteine by 1.4 μmol/L could reduce the odds of depression by about 20%.[2]

How to lower homocysteine with diet or supplements

Luckily, homocysteine is usually easily lowered with B vitamin therapy. Most of all, you need the B vitamin folate to lower your homocysteine. Studies show that for most people, increasing your intake of folate through diet or supplements works equally well for lowering homocysteine.[3] Getting more folate through your diet requires increasing your intake of foods like dark leafy greens and beans. Spinach, lentils, asparagus, romaine lettuce, beets, and Brussels sprouts are among the foods with the highest levels of folate.

As a supplement, folate is available in a number of different forms. Experts generally disagree on which form and how much of it is required. That’s probably because due to genetics and environmental factors, the dose required to bring homocysteine into the optimal range varies from person to person.  For many people, 800 to 1000 micrograms of folic acid, the synthetic form of the vitamin, is enough to lower homocysteine into the normal range. However, dose may not be high enough to optimize your homocysteine level by getting it down below 7 μmol/L, and some people do better with the supplemental form of folate known as 5-MTHF. Furthermore, some people also need vitamin B12, B6, or other homocysteine-lowering nutrients in addition to folate. Stay tuned for information on optimal homocysteine lowering using natural therapies.

[1] Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 May 23. pii: S0306-4530(13)00156-X.

[2] Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008 Nov;65(11):1286-94.

[3] Nutrients. 2013 May 8;5(5):1531-43.