Top 5 Heart Supplements
We all know we should eat a healthy diet – after all, everyone keeps banging on about it; the TV, papers, government, doctors, and on and on – but most of us don’t have the time, money or inclination to follow the guidelines.
Added to this, our food just doesn’t have the nutritional value it used to (one report has calculated that we’d have to eat 10,000 calories a day to get the optimum levels of nutrients!!).
So, here are what I consider are the top 5 supplements for keeping your heart & cardiovascular system in good condition.
Fish Oil
Fish oils are rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) – or Omega Oils – that you have to get from food or heart supplements, as your body can’t produce them.
The major Omega oils are Omega 3 and Omega 6, and we already get too much Omega 6 from the processed foods that we eat, so we need to balance this with Omega 3.
Fish oils contain high concentrations of the two most potent forms of Omega 3 – EPA and DHA – that have been shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias (which can lead to sudden cardiac attacks), decrease triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque and lower blood pressure.
In other words, fish oil heart supplements can help:
- Prevent plaque build up in your arteries
- Lower your cholesterol levels
- Reduce your blood pressure levels
- Prevent the formation of blood clots
Garlic
In studies, garlic has been shown to lower total cholesterol levels, reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure and help prevent blood clots forming.
In fact, these studies show that regular consumption of garlic can decrease your cholesterol levels by as much as 10%.
But be sure to choose the right type of supplement – that’s one that contains stabilised allicin, the compound in garlic that does you the most good.
Ginkgo Biloba
This herb is, probably, best known for helping with memory. It does this by dilating blood vessels to enable more oxygen to reach the brain and this also helps to prevent a stroke.
By dilating the blood vessels, ginko helps to increase blood flow through-out your body, whilst also helping to prevent clots forming and preventing free radical damage to your blood vessel walls.
CoQ10
Several studies have shown that people suffering from high blood pressure are deficient in CoQ10 and that replacing it can return levels to normal whilst also reducing cholesterol levels.
Research is ongoing, but CoQ10 is fast becoming one of the the preferred heart supplements to take if you suffer from:
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- High cholesterol levels
- Heart disease
- Heart failure
One important clinical study, for example, found that people who received daily CoQ10 supplements within 3 days of a heart attack were significantly less likely to experience subsequent heart attacks and chest pain.
In addition, these same patients were less likely to die of heart disease
Taking CoQ10 is particularly important if you take statins as these reduce your body’s CoQ10 levels.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is one of the most important natural heart supplements because it has so many uses.
It is useful for
- strengthening heart contractions,
- lowering blood pressure
- lowering pulse rate,
- lowering blood pressure
- and strengthening artery walls.
Because of this, it has become one of the most widely used herbal remedies.
Hawthorn is frequently prescribed for treating heart conditions in Germany, where a 4 year research program by the German Ministry of Health has concluded that hawthorn is particularly useful for poor and deteriorating heart function and blood flow.
Taking hawthorn can result in lowered blood pressure, improved blood circulation and a reduction in the likelihood of angina attacks.
Of course, there are many other contenders for this “Top 5” list, including:
- Vitamin D
- B Vitamins
- Phytosterols
- Vitamin E
- Magnesium
- Artichoke
- Lecithin
- Vitamin C
But at the end of the day, choosing heart supplements is a personal option to be taken (and this has to be stressed) with the knowledge and guidance of a Health Professional.
Additional reading:-
Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review
Hawthorn in the treatment of cardiovascular disease
Coenzyme-q10 for heart failure the hype and the science
Legal Stuff (Sadly, in this day & age, we have to include this!)
The contents of any posts is not presented by a medical practitioner and all health care planning should be made with the knowledge and guidance of your own medical and health practitioners.
The content within only presents an overview based upon research for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice from a practicing physician. Further, the information in this post is provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall the distributor of this information be liable for any special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the information presented here.
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