Homocysteine Test

Individuals with high levels of homocysteine in their blood have been found to have an increased risk of hip fracture, particularly among men. The risk for hip fracture was almost four times higher in men and 1.9 times higher in women in the highest quartile of serum homocysteine levels compared to those in the lowest quartile. One potential explanation for this association is that homocysteine may disrupt the formation of cross-links in collagen, which could contribute to the development of osteoporosis. Interestingly, this relationship between homocysteine levels and fracture risk appeared to be independent of other factors that are known to contribute to fracture risk, including bone mineral density.

A study of 521 subjects over the age of 65 who were not depressed at the beginning, found that low levels of folate and vitamin B12 and high levels of homocysteine were associated with a higher risk of developing depression during a follow-up period of two to three years. There are various ways in which elevated homocysteine may be linked to the underlying biological causes of psychiatric disorders. Homocysteine has been shown to interact with NMDA receptors, cause oxidative stress, induce apoptosis, lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, and cause vascular damage. Elevated levels of homocysteine may also contribute to cognitive impairment, which is often observed in patients with affective disorders and schizophrenia. Supplementation with B vitamins and folic acid has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing homocysteine levels. The addition of L-methylfolate, in doses ranging from 7.5 to 15 mg per day, to antidepressant therapy at the beginning of treatment was found to be more effective than antidepressant therapy alone in alleviating depressive symptoms. Moreover, clinical depression evaluation scores indicated major symptom improvement within 60 days of adding L-methylfolate to antidepressant therapy, and it was better tolerated than SSRI/SNRI monotherapy.

When there is a deficiency of folate, uracil replaces thymine in DNA, which may lead to DNA strand breaks and hypomethylation within the hepatic p53 tumor suppressor gene, thereby increasing the risk of cancer. Studies have revealed that patients suffering from ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia have higher levels of homocysteine. Moreover, rapid proliferating tumor cell lines exhibited an increase in homocysteine levels, whereas plasma homocysteine levels declined when tumor cells began to die.

Different states have regulations that define the scope of practice for practitioners. It is the practitioner’s responsibility to abide by these rules. Check with your state board of health to determine any restrictions related to laboratory testing. Please note, Mosaic Diagnostics does not offer testing in New York. 

Once you have opened your account, you have the options of ordering kits to stock in your office or drop-ship kits directly to your patients through your MosaicDX portal.   

Watch our short tutorial videos on how to conveniently  

• Order kit for your inventory  
• Drop-ship a kit to your patient  
• Re-order a follow-up test for your patient.    

Already have a kit? Watch this video on how to place an order for your patient using a kit from your inventory.   

Please refer to your test’s specific Test Preparation and Instructions for more information regarding the potential effects of medications, foods, and supplements on this test. 

You make also consult your healthcare provider prior to making any changes to your medications.

Visit the payment information page for an overview of payment options and procedures along with insurance coverage overview.

NOTE: Insurance coverage for testing is based on several factors such as the type of procedure, diagnosis, and insurance policy guidelines. Patients are encouraged to contact their insurance company to check for coverage and to provide the procedure codes (CPT codes) and diagnostic codes (ICD-10 codes). The CPT codes can be found on the billing information page, while ICD-10 codes are provided by the practitioner.

Mosaic Diagnostics offers written interpretations within test reports and complimentary consultations with our clinical educators for qualified practitioners. To schedule a consultation, simply sign in to your MosaicDX account and book a consultation online. 

We encourage all patients to discuss results with your practitioner.

Our Resources tab also contains educational materials that you may find useful, we also offer MosaicEDGE workshops for qualified practitioners to better understand the fundamentals of lab testing.