While cholesterol levels often dominate heart-health discussions and routine blood tests, research has highlighted another important predictor of strokes. The sulfur-containing amino acid called Homocysteine , is often overlooked. However, many studies, including ones from NIH , suggest that high levels of it can damage blood vessels, promote clot formation, and contribute to cognitive decline. Homocysteine is a normal amino acid produced during the body’s breakdown of methionine from protein. Under usual conditions it’s quickly converted back to other useful compounds with the help of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6.

Most routine heart-health panels focus on LDL, HDL, triglycerides and blood pressure, while homocysteine is not included in standard lipid testing and is therefore

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