What Is a Homocysteine Drawn For?

Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood. According to Health Library, buildups of high cholesterol, calcium, white blood cells and plaque can contribute to high homocysteine levels. Doctors do the test for several reasons.

Heart Disease and Stroke

• Life Extension Magazine reports that the correlation of heart disease and stroke with elevated homocysteine levels has been established since the late 1990s. The homocysteine test helps doctors find people who need preventative treatment for coronary disease.

Vitamin Deficiency

• When vitamin B12 is too low, red blood cells dwindle and cannot keep up with your body's oxygen needs, says Health Library. The same source also explains that folic acid deficiency leads to weakness, faintness and paleness. High homocysteine levels predict them both.

Homocystinuria

• Lab Tests Online mentions a rare disease of newborn infants called homocystinuria that is marked by high homocysteine levels. The main sign of this disease that eventually comes up is failure to thrive.

Blood Clots

• Checking for a high homocysteine level can warn doctors when people have tendencies towards blood clots, especially in the deep veins of the legs and in the lungs.

Alzheimer's Disease

• As a disease that is often identified by plaques on the brain, Alzheimer's disease causes homocysteine levels to rise. Although the Health Library specifies that there is not a definitive screening test for Alzheimer's, a homocysteine draw will shed some light.