The Top Nutrients That Promote Heart Health

The goal with nutrients is the same as with traditional drugs: to strengthen heart muscle contractions and improve blood flow throughout the body.

Coenzyme Q10

CoQ10 is found in every cell and is an important compound required for the processes that supply energy to cells and protect them from the damaging effects of free radicals. 

Your heart beats all the time and has massively high energy requirements. When it contracts (called cardiac contraction) the activation of the proteins that govern this action requires energy. Since CoQ10 is directly involved in the transport of electrons during mitochondrial energy production, it makes sense that the cells in your heart need all the CoQ10 they can get.

However, this compound declines with aging and the use of statin drugs, and cell energy production falls, resulting in impaired organ function. Supplemental CoQ10 can help reduce the side effects of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs and protect from cardiovascular disease.

CoQ10 is also shown to increase blood flow. In a clinical trial, CoQ10 (ubiquinol) improved cardiovascular function by increased flow-mediated dilation, which is the widening of an artery when blood flow increases. The levels of nitric oxide that helps in dilation were also improved. Moreover, harmful LDL oxidation was reduced with a higher dose.

There are two forms of CoQ10: ubiquinol and ubiquinone. Studies have shown that ubiquinol is more easily absorbed, making it the preferred type in supplements. 

Supplementation with 100 mg to 400 mg per day of ubiquinol CoQ10 is safe and has been associated with health benefits in various human studies. Higher doses (400 mg/day) are often prescribed by cardiologists for heart failure patients.

Omega-3

The essential omega-3 fatty acids, especially from fish oil due to its higher EPA and DHA content, support heart health in several ways, they: 

• Promote heart and blood vessel function
• Encourage a healthy blood flow
• Help maintain normal blood pressure
• Support healthy LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, crucial for the health of your arteries, and in turn, overall heart health
  

The omega-3 index is a measure of the percentage of total fats in red blood cells that are EPA and DHA. Studies have determined that an omega-3 index of around 8% is optimal. 

Most people consuming a modern Western diet have a far lower omega-3 score. Compared to individuals with the lowest omega-3 index score, those with the highest had:

• A 34% lower risk of death from any cause
• A 39% lower rate of developing cardiovascular disease

Magnesium

Magnesium is a hard-working mineral that helps 300 enzymes perform vital functions throughout the body and benefits your heart in many ways. Most notably, it's involved in the electrical stimulation that maintains our heartbeats!

Studies confirm a strong association between low magnesium levels and higher heart disease risk. Heart failure occurs when the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Because of this, research has also found that supplementation can help support a healthy degree of variations in sequences of heartbeats, otherwise referred to as our “heart rate variability.”

Magnesium also helps your blood vessels relax, supporting your body’s ability to maintain blood pressure within already healthy ranges. In a study of 22 patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure, an 800 mg/day dose of magnesium for three months produced a significant increase in arterial compliance, which is a measure of how well an artery can relax and contract in response to blood flow.

Furthermore, an epidemiological study of 3,523 men aged 60-79, with no prior history of cardiovascular disease, demonstrated that the risk for heart failure declined steadily with rising magnesium levels.

Vitamin K

Arterial calcification is the build-up of calcium inside the artery walls and is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular injury or death. The root cause of arterial calcification has been poorly disseminated to the medical establishment and the general public.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin with two main types (K1 and K2) and several subtypes (MK-4, MK-7, and more.

Vitamin K and its forms specifically work on mechanisms that prevent calcium build-up inside the arteries (soft tissues) so that calcium can bind to bone (hard tissues). Multiple studies have confirmed vitamin K's cardiovascular benefits.

In a study that followed more than 4,800 adults over age 55 for up to 10 years, those with the highest intake of vitamin K2 had a 57% lower rate of death due to coronary heart disease and a 26% lower rate of death from any cause.

Moreover, the synergy between vitamin K2 and vitamin D  is also shown to have benefits for cardiovascular health.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a potent antioxidant and its extract can protect against cardiovascular disease by targeting endothelial health and: 

• Reduce cholesterol accumulation
• Protect LDL ("bad" cholesterol) from oxidation
• Shrink atherosclerotic plaque
• Enhance artery elasticity to improve blood flow and pressure

In aging individuals, both diminished nitric oxide production and increased levels of oxidative stress lead to endothelial dysfunction being common. This in turn results in heart attacks and strokes. 

Thus, pomegranate can help fight these issues by supporting antioxidant defenses and protecting LDL from oxidative damage, contributing to cardiovascular health. Additionally, pomegranate can boost superoxide dismutase (SOD), further aiding endothelial function.

French maritime pine bark extract

French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®) helps slow arterial plaque. It does this by altering fat metabolism and reducing inflammation, crucial in atherosclerosis prevention. 

It has been shown in studies to decrease plaque and cholesterol levels and improve HDL ("good" cholesterol). It may also enhance endothelial function by boosting nitric oxide production, essential for keeping arteries open and reducing clot risks.

Centalla asiatica

Centella asiatica, known as gotu kola, has been shown to stabilize arterial plaques by enhancing collagen synthesis. This is crucial for maintaining the hard caps of plaques and preventing rupture.

In studies, participants with soft plaques taking 60 mg of this extract thrice daily saw a 30% denser plaque over 12 months, reducing the risk of strokes or heart attacks. Further research confirmed its efficacy in improving plaque stability and preventing cardiovascular events.

D-ribose

Your heart needs energy to keep your blood flowing and every organ functioning. That's why D-ribose, a nutrient found in every living being, is so important. 

Several studies of CHF patients who took D-ribose have shown improvements in blood flow and other symptoms. Plus, in a study of healthy athletes, supplying fatigued muscle cells with D-ribose quickly restored cell energy to normal levels. 

If you want to optimize your heart's energy levels, D-ribose might be the right nutrient for you!

Amla

Oxidative stress, high cholesterol, and elevated glucose combined also lead to endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness, which majorly contribute to cardiovascular disease, amla can help.

Amla is Ayrdurrvic staple shown to reduce arterial stiffness and can protect endothelial function. It offers cardioprotective benefits in various studies, making it an effective natural aid for heart health. 

Studies on amla confirm this efficacy in reducing risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, including stress-induced arterial stiffness, endothelial dysfunction in smokers, and individuals with metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

Black tea (theaflavins)

According to research black tea contains two compounds, theaflavins and thearubigins, that can support arterial health. 

These flavonoids are shown to improve endothelial function, protect against LDL oxidation, promote healthy circulation, help maintain normal cholesterol levels, and reduce inflammation.

Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid found in the diet. Cells need taurine, and most taurine in the human body is synthesized internally from the amino acid cysteine. With age, the enzyme that transforms cysteine into taurine declines. 

Evidence suggests that increasing taurine supply is beneficial regarding cardiovascular disorders and high cholesterol. In a population study spanning 25 countries and more than 14,000 people, scientists found that residents of Okinawa in Japan had the highest intake of taurine along with the lowest rate of heart disease and the longest average lifespan.

TMG

Trimethylglycine (TMG) has been known as a heart-healthy amino acid compound since the 1950s. While working to promote healthy levels of homocysteine, alone or in conjunction with other nutrients, TMG has been attested as an important nutrient for cardiovascular health.

Probiotic

Human studies show that the probiotic strain L. reuteri NCIMB 30242  can lower total cholesterol by more than 9%, reduce LDL cholesterol by nearly 12%, and significantly improve other cardiovascular risk factors.

Horse chestnut

Scientific studies on escin, a bioactive compound found in horse chestnut, have shown its veno-protective properties and its ability to help combat water retention. Horse chestnut extract can support a healthy fluid balance, helps the veins, and protects the other blood vessels as well.

Potassium

Potassium is involved in many of the same biological reactions as magnesium. It supports vasodilation which is the expansion of your blood vessels. This, in turn, encourages healthy blood flow. This mineral also encourages the body to expel sodium through urine, which supports cardiovascular health.

Artichoke leaf extract

Artichoke leaf extract  contains polyphenolic compounds. Clinical studies demonstrate that artichoke leaf extract’s compounds support optimal HDL/LDL ratios already within normal range.

Pantethine

Pantethine is the biologically active form of pantothenic acid, a.k.a. vitamin B5. Clinical trials show pantethine helps maintain LDL and total cholesterol already within the normal range and helps maintain heart-healthy CoQ10 levels.

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