7 Supplements You Didn’t Know Help Your Heart
by Krista Russ
March 17, 2023
February was a great month when it comes to thinking about the heart. Not only was it Valentine’s Day last month, but also American Heart Month–a time when many people might be thinking about their cardiovascular health. Of course, you should always be conscious of your heart health, as cardiovascular disease and heart attacks remain the number one killer in this country. On a more positive note, there are many things we now recognise protect the heart as well as things we can avoid that hurt it. Diet and lifestyle are major contributing factors, for instance. Avoiding smoking, prolonged sitting, lack of exercise, high risk drinking, excessive stress, and highly processed foods have all been proven to protect the heart to some degree, but is there anything else you can do?
Yes! Several supplements have proven cardiovascular benefits, and many of them you probably have never heard of. So let’s explore them.
Oxytocin
Very relevant to February, Oxytocin is often called the “love” or “cuddle” hormone because it is released when we kiss, touch, or make love. In essence, it’s an anti-stress hormone. Stress takes a major toll on our health, including the heart, so the stress-reducing effects of oxytocin are particularly relevant for heart health. Oxytocin can reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, per a 2005 review (1). It also has positive anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and social effects like increasing the bonding that occurs after a mother gives birth or breastfeeds her child.
And oxytocin plays as much a role in your figurative heart as it does in your literal one. In addition to reducing blood pressure, it improves the inflammatory response, which directly affects the cardiovascular disease process, per a 2020 paper (2). This is because inflammation narrows blood vessels and attracts cholesterol particles to help heal the damage. Narrower blood vessels means a greater chance for blockages, adding to the value of oxytocin’s anti-inflammatory effects.
Nitric Oxide (NO)
Nitric oxide is derived from nitrates, a compound that occurs naturally in many plants such as celery and beetroot. When taken as a supplement or in food, nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax and widen, per Healthline (3). This has some important heart-related benefits. Namely, lowering blood pressure.
When blood vessels are too constricted, blood pressure increases, which can lead to health issues like heart and kidney disease over time; the opposite happens when blood vessels relax. Nitric oxide also helps sexual health by improving symptoms of erectile dysfunction which are often linked to cardiovascular problems like hypertension.
You can supplement with nitric oxide precursors like beetroot powder (a source of nitrates), or the amino acids L-citrulline and L-arginine which are precursors to NO. You can also increase your body’s natural NO production by consuming nitrate-rich foods like beets, beetroot juice, celery, and dark leafy greens like arugula, chard, kale, and spinach.
CoQ10
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is a type of antioxidant produced by every cell by the body. It is also called “ubiquinone” because of its ubiquitous presence in cells. Dietary sources like meat, fish, and nuts contain some CoQ10 but unfortunately not enough to significantly raise levels in the body, per Mayo Clinic (4).
CoQ10 can improve symptoms of congestive heart failure and reduce blood pressure. It may even help people recover after bypass or heart valve surgeries when taken with other nutrients. Because of its role in energy production as a key component of cellular respiration, some research suggests it could improve athletic performance. And other research suggests CoQ10 may reduce both total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in people living with diabetes, thus lowering their risk of future cardiovascular disease.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a phytochemical or plant pigment that occurs naturally in many deeply-colored plants like grapes, wine, blueberries, and cranberries. Research suggests it has protective antioxidant benefits for the heart such as protecting the linings of blood vessels, per Mayo Clinic (5). Some ways in which it may protect the heart include reducing LDL cholesterol, reducing clotting (thus reducing the risk for a blood clot), and lowering inflammation. This is important because most heart medications do nothing for the heart except reduce inflammation, further showcasing its importance.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant made in the body. Like CoQ10, it is found in every cell and is important for cellular energy production by converting glucose into energy, per Mount Sinai (6). Most antioxidants only work in water (like vitamin C) or fatty tissues (vitamin E and CoQ10) but alpha lipoic acid has the unique ability to work within both. Research supports ALA may aid heart health by several mechanisms. Its antioxidant effects can protect against oxidative stress that occurs in arteries, leading to their damage over time as well as the oxidation of cholesterol. It is only once cholesterol is oxidized that it has the potential to build up and damage blood vessels, per Healthline (7).
ALA also helps the heart by:
- Lowering triglycerides
- Lowering blood lipids
- Reducing inflammation
- Reducing blood sugar
- Improving endothelial dysfunction
Fish Oil
Fish oil has important heart benefits, as it is rich in a type of essential fatty acid called omega threes. Specifically, fish oil contains two important types of omega threes: DHA and EPA. Both benefit health–especially that of the heart, eyes, skin, and brain tissues. DHA and EPA help the body make chemicals called anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which reduces inflammation throughout the body, including in the heart and blood vessels. By reducing inflammation in blood vessels, fish oil could reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure, per Mayo Clinic (8).
Getting the right type and ratio of omega threes in your fish oil supplement is important, so it’s important to speak with a healthcare provider who is familiar with the benefits of fish oil supplementation. They may also recommend a prescription-strength version depending on your health conditions.
Fish oil may also benefit your heart by:
-
- Lowering triglycerides
- Decreasing blood pressure
- Reducing clotting
- Reducing risk of sudden cardiac death
Estradiol
Estradiol is the primary female sex hormone produced by the ovaries in women of childbearing age. You might be more familiar with the term “estrogen.” There are actually three types of natural estrogens: estrone, estriol, and estradiol. Estradiol is the most potent and biologically active. And while many people tend to think of it as a “female hormone” it is also produced by males in organs like the testes, brain, and fat cells and has very important functions for both sexes outside of its role in reproduction, via a 2003 paper (9).
Estradiol has several heart related benefits. The reason women usually outlive men is in part due to the heart-protective effects of naturally occurring estrogens such as reduced visceral fat storage, increased HDL, and reduced LDL and blood pressure. Incidence of heart disease and other metabolic diseases tend to increase sharply in menopause, concurrent with the drop in estradiol. The good news is that you can continue to obtain estradiol’s heart-related benefits through supplementation with biological analogs called bioidentical hormones which we will discuss further in our patient education. This is not to be confused with synthetic estrogen PREMARIN which is associated with ill health effects and is NOT the same as bioidentical estradiol which mirrors what the body produces.
How Do I Get The Most From These Supplements?
Remember to always speak with a healthcare provider before taking any supplements to ensure they are appropriate for you and don’t interact with any drugs you’re taking. While you should follow the supplement’s bottle/box instructions for general dosage guidelines, for a more customized dosage and best form (i.e- pill, powder, liquid, etc.) that aligns with your personal health goals, we encourage you to Find an APIM | WLM Trained Provider today. This step is particularly important because the effectiveness of a supplement is largely based on its dosage and form, which can only be determined by seeing a trained provider who understands this in relation to your personal health conditions and goals.
For instance, some forms of supplements are much more bioavailable in the body than others, so this step can help you avoid wasting time and money on forms that may be less suitable for you. Also, not all brands are created equally. Some brands may offer a higher quality supplement with superior absorption over another brand. Testimonials, reviews, and research into the supplement company or compounding pharmacy’s reputation and practices can provide invaluable insight into the quality of their products. For example, do they perform third party/quality control testing to verify their ingredients are biologically active and efficacious? Are they GMP certified or do they hold other certifications that indicate a superior product? These are all important factors to consider as a consumer.
How Can I Find a Doctor Who Prescribes Bio-Identical Hormones
The Academy of Preventive and Innovative Medicine trains physicians in hormone therapy. We have not only identified competent and forward-thinking physicians throughout the country who offer these therapies, most of them are also trained by our experts to offer you the best care. To find a doctor near you, simply search the Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy (BHRT) Provider Directory.
Sources:
Uvnas-Moberg K, Petersson M. Oxytocin, ein Vermittler von Antistress, Wohlbefinden, sozialer Interaktion, Wachstum und Heilung. Oxytocin, a mediator of anti-stress, well-being, social interaction, growth and healing]. Z Psychosom Med Psychother. 2005;51(1):57-80. German. doi: 10.13109/zptm.2005.51.1.57. PMID: 15834840. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15834840/#:~:text=Oxytocin%20can%20induce%20anti%2Dstress,it%20promotes%20growth%20and%20healing
Jankowski M, Broderick TL, Gutkowska J. The Role of Oxytocin in Cardiovascular Protection. J Front Psychol. 2020 Aug 25;11:2139. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02139. PMID: 32982875; PMCID: PMC7477297. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7477297/#:~:text=Oxytocin%20is%20cardioprotective%20by%20reducing,the%20treatment%20of%20cardiovascular%20pathologies
Van De Walle G. 5 Ways Nitric Oxide Supplements Boost Your Health and Performance. Healthline. March 25, 2018. Accessed January 23, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nitric-oxide-supplements#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
Mayo Clinic Staff. Coenzyme Q10. Mayo Clinic. November 10, 2020. Accessed January 23, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-coenzyme-q10/art-20362602#:~:text=CoQ10%20has%20been%20shown%20to,bypass%20and%20heart%20valve%20surgeries
Mayo Clinic Staff. Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart? Mayo Clinic. January 14, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281#:~:text=Resveratrol%20might%20help%20prevent%20damage,cholesterol
Alpha-lipoic acid. Mount Sinai. Accessed January 24, 2023. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/alpha-lipoic-acid#:~:text=Several%20studies%20suggest%20alpha%2Dlipoic,and%20legs%20from%20nerve%20damage
Wu B, Stephens C.The Danger of Oxidized Cholesterol and Tips for Prevention. Healthline. Updated September 17, 2018. Accessed January 24, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/oxidized-cholesterol-what-you-should-know#prevention
Mayo Clinic Staff. Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart. Mayo Clinic. April 19, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/omega-3/art-20045614#:~:text=Omega%2D3%20fatty%20acids%20may,Reducing%20blood%20clotting
Hess RA. Estrogen in the adult male reproductive tract: a review. J Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2003 Jul 9;1:52. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-1-52. PMID: 12904263; PMCID: PMC179885. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC179885/#:~:text=Estrogen%20is%20produced%20in%20sizable,species%20%5B40%2D48%5D.
