Supplements for Heart Health

Research has shown that some supplements may help lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure and overall health.


Nutrients that can be a good addition to a heart-healthy lifestyle include:

Fish Oil

• Full of omega-3 fatty acids, it helps reduce triglyceride levels in the

blood up to 30%.

• FDA-approved prescription medications that contain omega-3 fatty acids and are used to treat high triglyceride levels include Lovaza and Vascepa. • American Heart Association recommends that all adults eat at least two

3.5-ounces servings of fish a week.

Vitamin B9 (Folate)

• Many high-quality studies have shown that folate supplementation can reduce stroke and cardiovascular disease risk.

• It is also known to be effective in preventing birth defect in pregnant

women.

• The FDA recommends a daily intake of 400 mcg/day in adults.

Vitamin D

• Vitamin D supplementation has been found to decrease blood pressure, but only in people who had both high blood pressure and a vitamin D deficiency.

• Vitamin D can increase calcium levels in the body so one must be cautious when taking other medications that increase calcium levels such as hydrochlorothiazide.

• The FDA recommends a daily intake of 15 mcg/day in adults and 20 mcg/day in adults >70 years

Magnesium

• Oral magnesium supplements have been found to lower blood pressure in people with uncontrolled blood pressure while taking a blood pressure medication at the same time

• A review of 11 randomized studies found that magnesium, taken at 365–450 mg per day over an average of 3.6 months, significantly reduced blood pressure in people with chronic medical conditions.

• The FDA recommends a daily intake of 420 mg for adults and children 4

years and older.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

• Niacin has been known to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL)

cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that helps remove low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol from your bloodstream.

• Niacin can raise HDL cholesterol by more than 30 percent.

The

• FDA recommends a daily dietary intake of 100mg/day in adults.

CoQ10

• An enzyme that is made in small quantities in the body as ubiquinone and ubiquinol that plays a role in ATP production and cellular energy

• May work to lower blood pressure

• Has been used for statin-associated myopathy syndrome (SAMS), a condition that occurs in some people taking statins (i.e. simvastatin,

lovastatin, etc.). Symptoms include muscle cramps, muscle weakness,

and rarely rhabdomyolosis (injury and death of muscle tissue).

• May improve symptoms associated with congestive heart failure.

Red Yeast Rice

• A type of fermented rice that has been used in traditional Chinese

medicine

• Contains monacolin K, a compound that found in the prescription drug,

lovastatin, that is used to lower cholesterol

• Side effects can include liver dysfunction, bloating, gas, and stomach

pain

Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding any new vitamins

and supplements to check for any potential drug interactions.

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20021122/folic-acid-for-your-heart#:~:text=Researchers%20say%20a%20daily%20dose,in%20the%20blood%20called%20homocysteine. https://online.lexi.com/lco/action/doc/retrieve/docid/fc_dfc/5548292?cesid=922Pex1vK7x&searchUrl=%2Flco%2Faction%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dfolate%26t%3Dname%26va%3Dfolate%26nq%3Dtrue# https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-lower-blood-pressure#1.-Magnesium https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/supplements-herbs/best-supplements-vitamins-for-heart-health https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/niacin/art-20046208 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/dont-buy-the-hype-only-3-nutritional-supplements-help-your-heart#2.-Coenzyme-Q10 https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/supplements-heart-healthy https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heart-health-vitamins-ally-or-false-friend/ https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/omega-3-Fatty-acids#section=2D-Structure https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Folic-acid#section=2D-Structure https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cholecalciferol#section=Structures https://www.chemistrylearner.com/magnesium.html https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Coenzyme-Q10 https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/53232#section=2D-Structure