powered by:
uhn foundation
the connection between supplements and heart health
8 minute read
some supplements can reduce cardiovascular disease risk and help people recover from major adverse cardiovascular events (mace) such as stroke.
getty images
stay up to date on this topic
this article was produced by the healthing editorial team with the support of a grant from aquaomega. while aquaomega made the production of this article possible, they did not have any editorial influence or control over the content, including review prior to publication.
cardiovascular health is one of the most important areas of health that people have a unique control over. the things a person does, from exercise to diet, all play a role in heart health. nutrition is an especially crucial area that people can use to optimize their health and reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, as well as improve heart health today.
but the standard western diet doesn’t always provide everything you need to reap the benefits of a nutritious diet for your heart health. that’s where supplementation can come into play as a complementary approach.
“if anyone’s ever asked, ‘what can i do to help reduce my risk of a heart incident?’ like a heart attack or stroke, even talking to their family doctor, the first they would probably be told is a whole bunch of lifestyle recommendations,” said dr. paul hrkal, a naturopathic doctor with the pain and wellness centre in vaughan, ont. “one of them is eat healthier.”
advertisement
how does nutrition affect heart health?
the nutrients you put into your body have a direct role in all bodily processes, including your cardiovascular system. when it comes to your heart, it needs certain nutrients to function, and some of your circulatory system is even made up of the things you eat.
“blood vessels are made up of the proteins that you ultimately ingest,” said dr. quinton nurse, a naturopathic doctor who operates out of toronto and vaughan clinics, as well as offers virtual care options. “the electrolytes, which influence how much your blood vessels are contracting and expanding, are consumed on a day-to-day basis. your blood is made with the nutrients that you consume, whether that’s iron or others for making blood cells.”
essentially, the entire system runs on the fuel that you give it. the higher the quality of the fuel, the better it will function. if you provide only low-quality fuel or things that lack any nutritional value at all, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
“nutrition can provide a lot of benefits to improving blood flow, but it can also pose a lot of risks when we eat a diet that is unhealthy, full of refined sugars and processed fats, because that’s going to increase a lot of those risk factors,” said dr. hrkal.
advertisement
since western diets often lack adequate amounts of the nutrients that provide heart-healthy benefits, supplementing is often a good choice for those who can’t get enough through dietary means.
the best supplements for heart health
there are a few heart-healthy supplements that can make a significant difference in the way your cardiovascular system functions.
magnesium
magnesium is a mineral the body uses for a variety of functions, and it also acts as an electrolyte.
“our blood flow is pumped through our arteries, which are these thin layers of muscles that push the blood to our peripheries, and the tension inside of our cardiovascular system can be reduced by magnesium because magnesium has a relaxing effect on smooth muscle,” said dr. hrkal. “things like pumpkin seeds and dark green leafy vegetables are probably your best sources of magnesium, but most people are not getting really even the bare minimum.”
magnesium can also benefit heart health by combating inflammation that can increase your risk of heart disease.
indirectly, magnesium has also been shown to improve sleep and stress, both of which can be contributing factors when it comes to cardiovascular disease because stress can cause physical strain and inflammation, whereas poor sleep can cause an increase in blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
advertisement
coenzyme q10 (coq10)
coq10, which acts like an antioxidant in the body and is naturally produced in every cell, is another important supplement when it comes to heart health. it also acts as part of the body’s energy production system, has a role in membrane flexibility, and “really shines” in the function of the muscles.
“our heart is a muscle. it’s beating all the time, so it’s kind of like you’re running on a treadmill at all times,” said dr. hrkal. “the heart muscles need this currency called atp, and atp is our body’s energy fuel, and it powers the heart function, and coq10 is a key component of the production of that atp.”
coq10 is so vital because it helps the heart produce the energy it needs to function. the more effectively it can do this, the more atp (cellular energy) that the heart can access. as people age, atp levels decline, making it even more imperative to ensure there is enough. since natural levels are reduced, and the amounts found in food aren’t always enough, supplementing with atp supporters like coq10 is a great way to restore those levels for optimal heart health.
it can even be beneficial after cardiovascular events have occurred, or if people are already taking medications that deplete it, like statins for cholesterol, for example.
advertisement
“it can be helpful to prevent problems after strokes and ischemic injuries because it’s involved in those energy systems that get cut off in a stroke,” said dr. nurse.
dr. hrkal added, “if you are on cholesterol medications, specifically the statin class, such as lipitor, crestor and rosuvastatin, these are the most prescribed drugs in the world, and they are to lower cholesterol, but they have this unfortunate downside that they deplete coq10 out of your body. so, the thing that helps the heart function is what actually is depleted, so coq10 is very important for people that are taking something that actually is supposed to be protecting them from heart issues.”
omega-3s
omega-3s are essential fatty acids that play roles in brain health, inflammation, eye health and heart health. regarding heart health, the need to get enough is crucial because it plays a role in inflammation.
“they help to change the way that our body expresses messengers between cells, which ultimately allows a change which favours better blood flow, less inflammation in the body, and when they look at people supplementing with omega-3s over time, people who do take them … have less risk of major adverse cardiovascular events or maces,” said dr. nurse.
advertisement
they can also improve total cardiovascular death, which is essentially experiencing a fatal heart attack or a cardiovascular event that leads to death.
along with the inflammation-lowering effects, omega-3s also have the ability to lower triglycerides, which are fats that are associated with other issues within the body, such as insulin resistance.
when insulin resistance is high, it can lead to systemic inflammation, high blood pressure and higher levels of fats in the body, which contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries. all of these factors can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
supplements are complementary, not a replacement
while many people can take supplements and think they’ve done all they can do for their heart health, these types of natural health products are not meant to replace a healthy diet. people should still take into account what they give their bodies when taking supplements.
they’re also not meant to be a total replacement for medications, either.
“it’s better to have synergy, right? if you can avoid the use of medications by managing your lifestyle and not needing them, that can be the best case scenario,” said dr. nurse.
but it’s about finding that happy place where you’re mitigating your risk now, and in the long run. with medications, a more immediate effect takes place, whereas some supplements require time to take effect.
advertisement
“the best way to approach it is with a professional trying to take natural and lifestyle route, and if you need them, medication strategies to have the best risk profile overall.”
using supplements for heart health, such as omega-3s, is about using both to work together to create an in-body environment conducive to longevity and better overall heart health.
“i think that we ideally strive to have the most well-rounded diet,” said dr. hrkal. “and then every person’s a little different. evaluate what your underlying health conditions might be, and then you can supplement strategically from there with the right one.”
things to consider before starting a new supplement
before jumping into supplements for your heart health, it’s important to remember that some natural health products aren’t always right for everyone, and that working with a professional health-care provider is the best way to find the types that work for you, especially if you’re taking medications.
in some cases, supplements can interact with medications that you’re already taking. that can be both good and bad.
“it’s really specific drug to drug, for example, you wouldn’t necessarily want to be, depending on your tendency to bleed and bruise, on warfarin and omega-3s at the same time,” said dr. nurse. “but there are plenty of cases where taking another supplement or herb can reduce the side effects of medication, or even can improve the overall effect that those medications have. that’s synergy!”
advertisement
that’s why it’s so vital to get your supplement advice from professionals who know what they’re talking about.
“talk to a supplement-literate health-care provider, and i use that very specifically because some family doctors are fantastic. they’re going to give people some personalized advice and some of them, they just don’t have the training, and they don’t really have the knowledge,” said dr. hrkal.
for example, there are several kinds of magnesium, with some being better than others. if you are given the advice to get any kind at your pharmacy, and grab one that benefits constipation over heart health, you may be “turned off” from taking a really good supplement.
“it’s getting the right advice, asking their pharmacist … working with a naturopathic doctor,” said dr. hrkal.
as far as quality goes, seeking out the best supplement option involves looking for a natural product number (npn) and something that’s been researched and third-party tested to ensure that you get only what’s in the label, in the right amounts, and nothing else.
“canada has decent regulations on that front. if you see an npn number, then that typically shows that those supplements have gone through a registration protocol and that the claims that they make on the label are backed up by some level of evidence, so that’s an important one.”
share story
