"Half the costs of illness are wasted on conditions that could be prevented.
" Dr.
Joseph Pizzorno from the book "Total Wellness.
" Over the counter (non-prescription) heart supplements are popular.
Some may offer some benefit, while others, although popular, have no scientific data supporting their claims.
Garlic:Garlic is a popular herbal supplement used by people forimproving their LDL cholesterol levels.
Although several studies report small reductions in total blood cholesterol and the bad low-density cholesterol over short periods of time (1-3 months), a recent study has failed to prove that this cheap, delicious and natural remedy can lower cholesterol over a six month period.
The data was reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Arch Intern Med.
2007;167:125-126, 346-353.
Raw Garlic and Garlic Supplements Offer No Effect on Lipids).
For reducing elevated bad LDL, garlic supplementation may not be the choice but it may still play a role in heart-healthy diets.
L-Arginine: Several small studies suggest that L-arginine taken by mouth may help reduce blood vessel stiffness andtemporarily reduce blood pressure.
It also helps improve exercise tolerance and may help patients with coronary artery disease and angina.
However a recent NIH sponsored study reported in the January 4, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that arginine supplementationgiven following a heart attack, resulted in adverse outcomes.
The cardiac protective data concerning this over the counter amino-acid is still unclear further research is needed before a recommendation can be made.
Selenium: Selenium is an important antioxidant mineral.
Selenium is essential for the function of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, and is also important for ahealthy immune and cardiovascular system.
The only known disease linked to selenium deficiency is Keshan disease - a rare cardiomyopathy.
It is found primarily in children in some areas of China where the soil is severely deficient in selenium.
Alarge clinical trial, reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, in the April 15, 2006 issue and involving more than 1,300 older Americans who took selenium supplements every day for seven and a half years revealed that selenium supplementation did not preventheart disease.
Potassium: High intake of dietary potassium via fresh and dried fruits, fresh vegetables, milk, and meat appears to be inversely related to risk of stroke, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms and atherosclerosis.
The stroke prevention data was confirmed in several large clinical trials including the Health Professionals Study, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NHANES-I), and the Nurses' Health Study.
The beneficial effect of supplementation in the form of a pill in healthy individuals is not clear.
Magnesium: Deficiency states have been shown to correlate with the chronic cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.
Magnesium is critical to normal human homeostasis.
However trials of magnesium supplementation have failed to confirm the beneficial effects of magnesium supplementation on cardiovascular diseases.
CoQ10: Small human studies suggest that CoQ10 may cause decreases in blood pressure, reduce angina and improve exercise tolerance in people with clogged heart arteries.
However, its benefit in patients with heart attacks and heart failure is non-conclusive.
Preliminary data suggests giving CoQ10 before surgery may improve the function of the heart after major heart surgeries such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or valve replacement.
Hawthorne Berry Extract: A randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of a standardized extract of fresh Crataegus berries in the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure showed significant improvement in the patients.
Data on other cardiovascular diseases is lacking.
Soluble Fiber:Psyllium when used in combination with other cholesterol lowering drugs, provides an added benefit.
It binds to bile acids in the gut and prevents their normal reabsorption.
Whole grain barley containing at least 0.
75 gm of soluble fiber per serving of food can also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Ginkgo Biloba: Ginkgo appears to be effective in delaying the progression of dementia and improve symptoms of intermittent leg claudication.
Its benefit in preventing stroke or heart disease are not documented.
Ginkgo may increase the risk of bleeding in people taking aspirin and/or vitamin E.
Red Yeast Rice: Red yeast rice contains lovastatin, a cholesterol lowering chemical.
Since 2000 the FDA has treated this as a regulable drug.
Most of the red rice yeast sold today is fermented in a way that it contains little or no lovastatin and has negligible effects on cholesterol levels.
Policosanol: Policosanol is derived from waxes of sugar cane, yams and beeswax.
It is a popular non-prescription cholesterol-lowering agent.
However a recent study, published in the May 17, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found no evidence that policosanol in doses upto 80 mg/dayreduced LDL or total cholesterol.
The study involved 143 patients who were monitored for 12 weeks.
Alfalfa: Small studies have reported reductions in blood sugar and the bad LDL and total cholesterol levels in humans.
Again, no large or long term studies have substantiated these preliminary results.
There is no data on outcome protection.
L Carnitine: Supplemental carnitine appears to reduce heart failure and deaths in patients who have suffered from a heart attack.
Levels of carnitine are low in the failing heart muscle.
Carnitine may also be beneficial in patients having ischemia due to coronary artery disease and intermittent claudicating due to poor circulation in the legs.
The improvement in the pain, walking distance and speed and overall improved health has been confirmed in two multicenter clinical trials in Europe and USA.
Soy: The levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol can be moderately decreased by adding soy protein to the diet.
Small reductions in triglycerides may also occur, while high-density lipoprotein remains unchanged.
Soy nuts may decrease blood pressure and blood sugar slightly.
However, there is no long term studies confirming the beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes such as heart disease or stroke.
Zinc: Cardiovascular benefits of zinc supplementation are limited to improving cholesterol levels in patients on kidney dialysis.
There is also some suggestion that the heart beneficial ratio of good HDL versus bad LDL cholesterol may be improved by zinc.
So please choose your supplementation with care.
Some of these can cause side effects if taken in large quantities or may interact with other supplements or prescription medications.
So please discuss your use of these with your physician.