Homocysteine Reflex, B12 Folate Test

When your body experiences Vitamin B 12 deficiency and the rise in Homocysteine levels, you might suffer from Pernicious Anaemia. This is a disease where your body is incapable of absorbing Vitamin B12 from the gut. It takes years for the first symptoms to even appear and these symptoms are; clumsiness, lack of coordination, and change in personality. With the help of this test, your doctor will be able to provide a thorough diagnosis. What is homocysteine? It is nothing but amino acid. The levels of homocysteine increase because of metabolism to cysteine of methionine to cysteine is damaged.

Usually, a 12-hour fasting is required for this test. However, you can talk to your doctor as sometimes fasting is not required. You must avoid meat before the test as they contain high levels of homocysteine. It is important to let your doctor know about all your medical history and all the medications you are currently taking. You should opt for loose and comfortable clothing for your test. Your doctor might ask you to follow a few special instructions, which you must not ignore.

This test helps detect high levels of homocysteine, which is important because it can lead to various diseases, such as atherosclerosis, stroke, heart attack etc. Alzheimer’s and dementia are seen in patients with high levels of amino acid in their system. During pregnancy, the rise in homocysteine levels indicates fetal abnormalities.

If it is for methionine loading, the patient is asked to ingest approximately 100 mg of methionine after his 10-12 hour fast. It is a simple blood test; therefore, it is not painful. However, while the practitioner is drawing the blood, you might feel a slight pinch. This test takes about 15-20 minutes. Once the blood is drawn, the pathologist will apply a slight pressure and check the puncture site for bleeding.