What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• Going through menopause.
• Having high blood pressure (hypertension).
• Smoking or other tobacco use.
• Having a family history of high homocysteine levels.
• Drinking more than 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day over many years.
• Taking medicines, such as anticonvulsants, antibiotics, and birth control pills.
• Having kidney disease, certain forms of leukemia, or psoriasis.
• Having a rare family (inherited) disease that causes the lack of an enzyme needed to prevent the build up of homocysteine in the blood (homocystinuria).