Also known as: Homocyst(e)ine, Homocysteine Cardiac Risk
On your lab requisition: Labcorp “Homocyst(e)ine” (test no. 706994)
The short answer
Elevated homocysteine is linked to heart disease, stroke, and B-vitamin deficiency, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $27.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, requires an 8–12 hour fast, and results post in 2–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Hospital Lab
$130
cash pay
Other Labs
$45
+ lab fees
TestWell
$27.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
Homocysteine is an amino acid that, when elevated, is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. High levels may indicate a deficiency in vitamin B12, B6, or folate. It can also be elevated due to genetics (MTHFR gene variants), kidney disease, or certain medications.
Amino acid byproduct of methionine metabolism. Elevated homocysteine is associated with cardiovascular disease, dementia, and pregnancy complications; often correctable with B-vitamin supplementation.
Anyone with family history of early cardiovascular disease, unexplained miscarriage or fertility issues, MTHFR gene variant carriers, or low B12/folate intake.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Required
Results In
2–5 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
Your Homocysteine results will include values for each of the 1 biomarker tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 2–5 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
Fasting for 8–12 hours recommended. Water is okay.
The short answer
Worth it in two situations: investigating cardiovascular risk beyond the standard lipid panel, and checking whether your B-vitamin status is FUNCTIONALLY adequate - homocysteine rises when B12, folate, or B6 aren't doing their job, sometimes before blood vitamin levels look abnormal. $27.99, one fasting draw.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
Venous draw at Quest or Labcorp. Fasting 10-12 hours is recommended for a clean baseline. $27.99 self-pay versus $45 at consumer competitors; results in 2-5 business days.
An at-home draw is not recommended for this test — it needs a lab-based collection to be accurate.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Homocysteine | ~5-15 µmol/L (labs vary) | Mildly elevated levels most often point to functional B12/folate/B6 shortfall (very treatable) or kidney function, and are associated with higher cardiovascular risk. The common path: replete the B vitamins, retest in 2-3 months, and watch it fall. Persistently high despite good B-vitamin status is worth reviewing with a clinician. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated August 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
A Homocysteine test costs $27.99 at TestWell — $33.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Ordered directly from the labs' own consumer sites, the same test lists at $75.00 at Quest Health and $79.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (list prices checked Sep 12, 2026). Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $130.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. Full cost breakdown →
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest) | $27.99 | $33.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| TestWell (drawn at Labcorp) | $28.99 | $34.99 | Labcorp's own cost for this test is higher; same order, same portal, same physician review |
| TestWell (drawn at BioReference — New York & New Jersey) | $32.99 | $38.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route to BioReference; Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand don't take self-ordered draws in those states |
| Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) | $75.00 | $75.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Labcorp OnDemand (Labcorp's own site) | $79.00 | $79.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $130.00 | $130.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
55% less than the lower lab-direct list price, for the same draw at the same lab. Lab test codes: Quest test code 31789 · Labcorp test no. 706994 · BioReference code 1311-0. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Most labs report normal as 5-15 µmol/L, but optimal for cardiovascular and cognitive health is closer to 7-9 µmol/L. Above 15 µmol/L is hyperhomocysteinemia and warrants B-vitamin investigation. Above 100 µmol/L (rare) is severe and requires specialist evaluation.
Low B12, folate, or B6 intake (the three vitamins that metabolize homocysteine). Genetic MTHFR variants. Kidney disease. Hypothyroidism. Certain medications (metformin, methotrexate, PPIs). Most cases respond well to a methylated B-complex within 8-12 weeks.
Homocysteine damages the inner lining of blood vessels and accelerates atherosclerosis. Elevated levels also raise stroke risk independent of cholesterol. Lowering homocysteine with B vitamins improves vascular markers, though the effect on hard outcomes (heart attacks) is modest in trials.
On TestWell, Homocysteine is $27.99. Quest Direct lists the same test at $45, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $100-130 without insurance.
Yes — 8-12 hour fast (water only). Recent meals (especially methionine-rich foods like meat) can transiently elevate homocysteine and produce a false-positive.
Yes if homocysteine is elevated and you want to know the cause. The pattern of low B12 + low folate + high homocysteine points to nutritional deficiency. Add MTHFR genetic testing if you have a strong family history of cardiovascular disease.
$27.99 self-pay on TestWell at Quest or Labcorp, versus $45 at consumer competitors and $100+ clinic-billed. HSA/FSA eligible.
They answer different questions and are often drawn together: hs-CRP measures vascular INFLAMMATION, homocysteine measures a metabolic risk factor tied to B-vitamin status. If you're building a beyond-lipids cardiac picture, the pair (plus ApoB) is the informative trio.
It's the practical check. MTHFR variants are extremely common and often functionally silent - homocysteine tells you whether YOUR folate metabolism is actually keeping up. A normal homocysteine with an MTHFR variant is reassuring; an elevated one gives you and your provider something concrete to correct and retrack.
Yes - 10-12 hours is the standard recommendation for homocysteine (a recent protein-heavy meal can nudge it). Water and black coffee are fine. Morning draws make the fast painless.
Ordered directly, a Homocysteine test lists at $75.00 at Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) and $79.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (prices checked September 2026). TestWell orders the same test at the same Quest or Labcorp patient service centers for $27.99 — $33.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee — paid out of pocket at checkout with no insurance, doctor's visit or draw fee; HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Homocysteine test results are typically ready in 2–5 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
Order the Homocysteine test online from TestWell for $27.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 2–5 business days.
The CPT code for a Homocysteine test is 83090. You can order it from TestWell for $27.99 — no doctor's visit or insurance required, with results in 2–5 business days.
The Homocysteine test is Quest Diagnostics test code 31789, Labcorp test number 706994 ("Homocyst(e)ine"), BioReference code 1311-0 (CPT 83090). TestWell orders it under those codes for $27.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 2–5 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
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Better value: the Comprehensive B12 Deficiency Panel
Save $23.98This test is part of the Comprehensive B12 Deficiency Panel — 3 tests · 3 biomarkers for $79.99, $23.98 less than à la carte.
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