Key points from article :
Certain antioxidant supplements – such as omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and coenzyme Q10 – may benefit your heart’s health.
Findings from 900 studies with ~900,000 patients showed that some micronutrients reduced the risks of heart disease, stroke, or death.
“Identifying the optimal mixture of micronutrients is important, as not all are beneficial, and some may even have harmful effects,” says Simin Liu, senior study author.
Micronutrients that offer a potential boost to the heart include omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fats, L-arginine, L-citrulline, folic acid, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, plant-based polyphenols.
Many of these micronutrients lowered blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin levels.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplements lowered CVD deaths by 7%, coronary heart disease events by 14%, and heart attacks by 15%.
Folic acid supplements decreased stroke risk by 16%, and coenzyme Q10 decreased all-cause deaths by 32% in heart failure patients.
In contrast, supplements of beta-carotene increased stroke risk by 9%, all-cause deaths by 10%, and CVD deaths by 12%.
In the long term, vitamin C, D, & E, and selenium showed no effect on cardiovascular disease outcomes or type 2 diabetes risk.
More studies are needed to find combinations that improve someone’s individual diet and heart health.
Study by Brown University, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
