Medically Reviewed and Written By: Kathleen O’Shea Northrup, MD
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were vitamins or supplements you could take to help prevent heart disease? The appeal of preventing heart disease by taking a pill or vitamin is undeniable. In fact, Americans spend $30.2 billion on supplements every single year! But is it worth it?
Supplements and Heart Disease
Unfortunately, the short answer is “probably not”. The best way to prevent heart disease is to eat a healthy diet, exercise, and not smoke. Most of your vitamins and minerals should come through the healthy foods you eat; adding a fish oil supplement to a diet high in french fries and hamburgers will not do much to prevent heart disease. The American Heart Association has endorsed a healthy lifestyle as the best way to improve your heart health.
But there have certainly been many different vitamins and supplements in the past which have gone in and out of favor as ways to augment a healthy diet in preventing heart disease- could some of these still play a role in a healthy lifestyle?
Supplement: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
One of the most frequently recommended supplements is omega-3 fatty acids. In several studies, these have been found to lower triglyceride levels, lower non-HDL cholesterol, and lower blood pressure- all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Types of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
There are 3 types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA; docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA; and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. These fatty acids can be found in foods we eat- ALA is found in walnuts and some oils such as canola oil; DHA and EPA can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna.
The American Heart Association advises eating two servings of fatty fish per week. Most people do not eat this much; that is why an omega-3 supplement may be beneficial. Despite this benefit, some studies show that high doses of omega-3 fatty acids may increase episodes of atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heart rhythm. Depending on your medical history, starting an omega-3 supplement might be worth discussing with your doctor.
Supplement: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is beneficial for bone health and immune function- but does it help prevent heart disease? While studies are still being done, it does not appear that vitamin D plays a role in preventing heart disease. However, with its other benefits, there may be some good reasons to add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.
Supplement: Antioxidant Vitamins (A, C, and E)
How about antioxidant vitamins? At various points in the past, supplements of vitamins A, C, and E have been recommended to decrease inflammation and therefore decrease heart disease. Ultimately, however, this has been shown not actually to make a difference- and too much of these vitamins, especially vitamin E, might even be harmful! Researchers recommend getting your antioxidants from healthy foods in your diet instead.
Supplement: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has also been touted as a supplement that could help prevent heart disease. Unfortunately, studies are mixed, and it is unclear if it truly helps. There is some evidence that it may help people with a diagnosis of chronic heart failure, but this too, remains controversial.
Supplement: Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice is another supplement thought to help prevent heart disease. This is because it contains monacolin K, which is the same ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. The problem is that some red yeast supplements contain a contaminant known as citrinin, which is toxic to the kidneys.
Because the FDA does not regulate supplements like traditional medications, it would be difficult to know if the red yeast rice supplement you are taking is toxic. Even if it is not toxic, there would be no way to know how much monacolin K you are getting- which could also be dangerous. So while red yeast rice may have benefits, the inability to know exactly what your supplement contains can be risky.
Supplement: Phytosterols
Phytosterols are a fat-like compound found in plants sold as supplements. These are supposed to block the total amount of cholesterol that your body can absorb. This sounds like a great benefit, but sadly, there is no evidence that phytosterol supplements decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and might even increase plaque formation in your arteries.
The Bottom Line
So where does this leave us? While we would all love to simply take a vitamin or supplement to help prevent heart disease, it is clear that the “magic bullet” has not yet been found. There is no substitute for eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and high in fiber! Add in staying active and quitting smoking, and you will be well on your way to decreasing your risk of heart disease. Visit patientslikeme.com to join our community discussions about how to protect your heart and live a healthy life.