Top 3 Supplements for Heart Health

Every 33 seconds in the United States, one person dies from cardiovascular disease. In fact, according to the CDC, heart disease is the number one cause of death among American adults, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender, accounting for one in every five deaths. Fortunately, heart healthy habits like a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress regulation, and the right supplements can help reduce your risk for heart disease. Looking to boost your heart health with better nutrition? In this article, we’ll explore the top three supplements for heart health, including benefits and recommendations.  

Signs of Heart Disease

Are you at risk of heart disease? Rather than a single illness, “heart disease” refers to a number of health issues that seriously impact the heart’s ability to function.

The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), where plaque builds up in the arteries that feed the heart, resulting in hardened arteries, blockages, and heart attacks. However, heart disease also includes a range of other issues that impact the heart’s rhythm, valves, musculature, and electrical signals. 

Certain health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity can put you at a serious risk of developing heart disease. Other risk factors include lifestyle choices such as excessive alcohol intake, smoking, an unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity. 

Common warning signs of heart disease include: 

• Chest pain (often described as a crushing or squeezing pain, although some individuals may experience little to no chest pain). Alternatively, pain may occur in the sternum, neck, left arm, stomach, jaw, or shoulders.
• Extreme anxiety
• Changes in skin color
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Sudden, severe weakness
• Fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Heart palpitations (feeling like your heartbeat is irregular, too fast, too strained or suddenly painful)
• Sweating
• Coughing or wheezing (may or may not be accompanied by a pinkish, or bloody mucous) 
• Swelling in the lower legs, especially in the ankles (indicates poor circulation) 

If you’re concerned that you might be at risk for heart disease, it might be time to add one of these top supplments for heart health to your regular supplement stack. 

Red Beet Powder

The heart health benefits of red beet powder are well-known. If you haven’t already heard, red beets are one of the best vegetables to keep your heart beating strong. 

Red Beet Powder Benefits

Improved circulation 

A favorite supplement among athletes, red beet powder can help boost circulation for improved oxygenation, muscular endurance, and recovery. The secret is in the beets’ nitrate content. Unlike unhealthy, added nitrates, which can break down into dangerous, cancer-causing nitrosamines, the naturally-occuring nitrates found in red beets form nitric oxide during digestion. 

Nitric oxide is a known vasodilator, meaning it causes our blood vessels to expand. This expansion improves blood flow to our extremities and supports profusion throughout our organs. As a result, crucial molecules and nutrients such as oxygen are able to reach our organs and muscles faster. It can also help relieve the swelling caused by poor circulation. 

Heart-healthy energy

We all know that too much caffeine can send your heart racing. Unfortunately, if you’re concerned about your heart health, this heart-pounding side effect of your morning cup of joe can worsen existing rhythmic issues including arrhythmias and electrical issues. Not to mention: the added calories and sugar that can come with your favorite flavored latte order can lead to unwanted weight gain.

If you’re looking to reduce your caffeine intake without tanking your energy levels, red beet powder can be a great substitute. Red beet powder has been shown to supercharge endurance, lower energy expenditure during exercise, and shorten the time it takes to recover.  

Lower cholesterol 

You already know that high cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Specifically, high levels of bad LDL cholesterol can lead to the plaque build-up that stiffens artery walls and forms dangerous arterial blockages. 

One study, conducted in 2017, found that beetroot juice helped lower LDL cholesterol in participants with uncontrolled high blood pressure. 

Best Red Beet Powder Supplement: Dr. Eric Snow’s Red Beet Power

One of our customer favorites, Dr. Eric Snow’s Red Beet Power contains just one ingredient: 100% organic, fermented beet root powder. No stabilizers, no preservatives, no chemical additives you can’t pronounce. Our fermentation process preserves and amplifies critical, heart healthy nutrients while adding an added probiotic punch to support microbiome diversity. Get Dr. Eric Snow’s Red Beet Power here in our online shop. 

CoQ10

An increasingly popular antioxidant, CoQ10 is a little-known nutrient that serves a critical role in heart health.

CoQ10 Benefits

General heart health support

CoQ10 is responsible for helping the body convert the food we eat into cellular energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As a result, CoQ10 is particularly concentrated in our major organs, especially the heart. 

Several studies show the correlation between CoQ10 and healthy heart function. According to one 2009 study, three out of four patients with heart disease also have low levels of CoQ10. That’s not all: as heart disease worsens, CoQ10 levels decline. 

Lower cholesterol (especially for diabetes sufferers) 

CoQ10 has proven effective at lowering bad cholesterol and other markers of cardiovascular disease. This is particularly true among individuals with diabetes and other metabolic issues. 

Less post-exercise inflammation.

Regular exercise is an essential part of maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. However, exercise and exertion produce inflammation as a natural side effect of the body’s metabolic processes. As a potent antioxidant, CoQ10 can help reduce inflammation, generate cellular energy, and soothe oxidative stress for easier, less achy workouts. 

Best CoQ10 Supplement: Standard Process B Vitality with CoQ10

Looking for a top-quality CoQ10 supplement? Standard Process B Vitality with CoQ10 contains: 80 mg of high-quality CoQ10 alongside a potent mixture of antioxidants and powerful, heart-healthy compounds including bromelain, American ginseng, and 8 different B vitamins. Get it here in our online shop. 

Garlic

More than just a culinary staple, garlic has been used for centuries to add flavor to bland dishes and to treat various ailments. In the last few decades, garlic has gained notoriety as a potent supplement for heart health.

Garlic Benefits

Lower blood pressure

Struggling with runaway blood pressure? Garlic can help! One 2020 study found that regular garlic supplementation significantly reduced blood pressure in subjects with high blood pressure. Additionally, researchers predicted a 16-40% reduction in cardiovascular events such as heart attacks as a result of regular garlic consumption. 

Reduced plaque build-up

Healthy arteries are flexible, able to contract and expand easily to accommodate the body’s fluctuating demands for circulation. However, over time, our artery walls may begin to harden and accumulate plaque.

Not only does plaque accumulation narrow arteries, making it harder for red blood cells to flow through, “soft plaque” is likely to break off and cause a blockage in the heart (heart attack) or brain (stroke). 

One study indicates that supplementing garlic can lead to a significant reduction in soft arterial plaque–as much as 80% over the course of one year! 

Best Garlic Supplement: MediHerb Garlic Forte

Looking to boost your garlic intake while keeping your breath fresh? MediHerb Garlic Forte contains 300mg of powerful, 100% organic garlic, carefully processed to preserve the benefits of the herb at its freshest. Try it here in our online shop.