Best Supplements for Heart Health

Best Supplements for Heart Health

Heart health remains the leading health concern in the U.S. and worldwide. Although heart health issues are very common, the good news is that they may also be preventable if we're willing to make some lifestyle changes. Staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding common vices like smoking and excessive drinking can make a big difference in your overall heart health. But what about heart health supplements?

Your heart requires a sufficient supply of key nutrients in order to function well. While supplements are no substitute for a heart-healthy lifestyle, they can play a supportive role by helping to provide key nutrients that may be lacking in your diet. Naturelo's top 3 heart health supplements are CoQ10, Omegas and K2 +D3. Here's how they work to support your heart health.

CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like nutrient that your body makes. It helps your cells produce energy to power your body, and works as a powerful antioxidant to protect cells and tissues from oxidative damage. These two functions are related: cellular energy production creates free radicals as a byproduct, and these free radicals must be quenched in order to prevent oxidative stress. This is why CoQ10 is especially concentrated in hard-working organs like the heart, which have high energy needs and thus a higher risk of oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress accumulates over time and is considered a key player in the development of many heart health problems. For instance, it can impair blood vessel function, inhibiting healthy blood flow and increasing blood pressure.[1] Oxidation of cholesterol also creates arterial plaque.1 This makes CoQ10’s antioxidant benefits especially important for long-term heart health. Research suggests that CoQ10 offers “significant cardiovascular protective effects,”[2] and low levels of CoQ10 in the body are associated with an increased risk of heart health problems.[3]

Unfortunately, natural levels of CoQ10 in your body decrease with age, even as oxidative stress increases. CoQ10 levels can also run low when the cardiovascular system is stressed or challenged, which increases the body’s demand for CoQ10.[4] Some heart health medications, including cholesterol-lowering statins, also significantly reduce CoQ10 levels; common side effects of statins, such as muscle pain and weakness, are the result of CoQ10 depletion. Luckily, taking CoQ10 supplements can help replenish depleted CoQ10 levels.

CoQ10 Benefits:

CoQ10 supports the energy capacity and healthy functioning of the heart muscle, and provides crucial antioxidant defense for the cardiovascular system. As a fat-soluble antioxidant, CoQ10 is particularly good at protecting lipids, such as LDL cholesterol, from oxidation. Studies suggest that CoQ10 supports healthy blood vessel function and circulation,[5][6] and may help manage blood pressure.[7]

Things to Know:

  • CoQ10 is found in some meat, fish, and nuts, but the amounts are too small to significantly increase your CoQ10 levels through diet.[8]
  • Your body needs sufficient B vitamins in order to make CoQ10. If you’re low in B vitamins, you may also be low in CoQ10.[9]
  • CoQ10 works well together with vitamin E, another fat-soluble antioxidant that supports heart health. After vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) neutralizes a free radical, it becomes oxidized itself, but CoQ10 can regenerate vitamin E back into its antioxidant form.[10]
  • CoQ10 isn’t easily absorbed on its own. Since it’s fat-soluble, taking it with food that includes some fat will help with absorption. You may also want to look for a supplement that includes a bioenhancer, such as black pepper, to help boost absorption and support bioavailability. Our CoQ10 Heart Health Blend includes BioPerine, a black pepper extract that’s been clinically shown to improve CoQ10 absorption by 30%.[11]

Marine Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of healthy fat that your body needs in order to function well. They make up a key structural component of your cell membranes and have wide-ranging functions in the body that support the cardiovascular system, immune system, and more.[12] Since your body can’t make omega-3s from scratch, you have to get them from food. The most common omega-3 in the American diet is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found in nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils. But the most important omega-3s for your heart health, eicosopentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), come primarily from seafood.

Researchers began studying these marine omega-3s when they noticed that communities that eat fish regularly tend to have fewer heart health problems. There is now a substantial body of evidence to show that EPA and DHA, the omega-3s found in fatty fish, have significant cardioprotective benefits. Based on this research, the American Heart Association has recommended since 2000 that all adults eat fish at least twice a week to support their heart health.[13] But many Americans still don’t. That’s where omega-3 supplements come in.

Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements deliver a concentrated dose of EPA and DHA to help fill the fish-shaped gap in your diet. For vegans and vegetarians, there are Vegan DHA supplements sourced from marine algae (which is where the fish get their omegas from). A recent meta-analysis on the benefits of marine omega-3 supplements for heart health, which looked at 13 clinical trials involving over 125,000 participants, concluded that marine omega-3 supplements can significantly reduce heart health risks, with the benefits increasing by dose.[14]

Marine Omega-3 Benefits:

Marine omega-3s have been shown to support arterial health, particularly by helping to reduce triglycerides,12 which contribute to arterial plaque, as well as helping to manage inflammation, which can damage blood vessels. Research suggests that omega-3s can help slow arterial plaque build-up, support healthy blood vessel function, and may help manage blood pressure.13

Things to Know:

  • Technically, your body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but not very well. It’s estimated that only about 15% of the ALA you consume gets converted into EPA and DHA. Therefore, researchers conclude that getting EPA and DHA directly from food or supplements is “the only practical way to increase levels” in your body.12
  • Fish oil supplements can vary a lot in quality. Check out our helpful guide for knowing what to look for on the label.
  • Because omega-3 supplements are a type of fat, they can help with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like CoQ10, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3 + K2 if you take them together.

Vitamin K2 + D3

Narrowing or hardening of the arteries is a big danger sign for your heart health. There are three main things that can build up in the arteries to cause this problem: cholesterol, triglycerides, and calcium. Calcium buildup happens when the calcium that you ingest isn’t properly metabolized. If calcium isn’t effectively integrated into your bones, it can build up in the bloodstream and attach to blood vessel walls. That’s why you need vitamin K2. It helps activate proteins that bind to calcium in the blood and transport it into the bone matrix, helping to prevent arterial buildup.[15]

Vitamin K2 works in partnership with vitamin D3 to help manage calcium in the body, and they are often paired together for mutual benefit. Vitamin D3 increases calcium absorption, so if you are taking vitamin D3 supplements, there’s an increased need for vitamin K2 to help manage that calcium correctly, so that it helps mineralize bones, not blood vessels. Vitamin D is also important for heart health: studies show a close association between low vitamin D levels and high cardiovascular risk.[16] Current research suggests that vitamins D and K have a “synergistic interplay” that supports both bone and heart health, and they may work best when combined.[17]

Neither vitamin K2 nor vitamin D3 are abundant in the typical Western diet, particularly if you happen to be vegan. Vitamin K2 is found predominantly in organ meats and fermented foods. Vitamin D3 can be found in fatty fish and fortified milks, but the best source is direct sunlight. However, for various reasons, many of us don’t get enough sun to maintain healthy vitamin D levels year round. All this makes supplementing these vitamins a practical idea. We like the way this dynamic duo works together, so we’ve paired them in our Vegan K2 + D3 supplement.

Vitamin K2 + D3 Benefits

Vitamin K2 helps prevent calcium buildup in the blood vessels that can cause arterial stiffness. Supplementing with vitamin K2 is strongly associated with improved cardiovascular health by helping to protect against calcification.[18] Getting enough vitamin D is also important for keeping your heart healthy. Lower vitamin D levels are correlated with increased heart health risks.[19] Taking vitamin D3 supplements increases calcium, which increases the need for vitamin K2.

Things to Know:

  • Vitamin K comes in two forms: K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 is important for healthy blood clotting, while K2 helps manage calcium in the blood for bone and heart health. Vitamin K1 is commonly found in foods such as leafy and cruciferous vegetables, and is typically included in standard multivitamins. But Vitamin K2 is harder to find in our diet, and is not always included in multivitamins. (We do include it in our multivitamins.)
  • Your friendly gut bacteria help produce vitamin K2, so a lack of friendly gut bacteria may impact your vitamin K levels.
  • Both vitamins K2 and D3 are fat-soluble and will be absorbed best when combined with a meal that includes some fat.

Being proactive about your heart health means making healthy choices every day, including making sure you are getting the right nutrients. If you’re interested in taking heart health supplements, it’s always wise to discuss it with your healthcare provider, especially if you have a health condition or are taking any medications. Your provider can help you decide which supplements might be best for you and what the optimal dose is for your needs. You can find our full selection of Heart Health Supplements here.

References:

[1] Senoner T, Dichtl W. Oxidative Stress in Cardiovascular Diseases: Still a Therapeutic Target? Nutrients. 2019 Sep 4;11(9):2090. doi: 10.3390/nu11092090. PMID: 31487802; PMCID: PMC6769522.

[2] Yeung, Pollen. (2014). Coenzyme Q10 for Cardiovascular Prevention. Cardiovascular Pharmacology: Open Access. 03. 10.4172/2329-6607.1000e125.

[3] “The New Heart Benefits of Coenzyme Q10.” Cleveland Heart Lab.

[4] Zozina VI, Covantev S, Goroshko OA, Krasnykh LM, Kukes VG. Coenzyme Q10 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases: Current State of the Problem. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2018;14(3):164-174. doi: 10.2174/1573403X14666180416115428. PMID: 29663894; PMCID: PMC6131403.

[5] Gao L, Mao Q, Cao J, Wang Y, Zhou X, Fan L. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on vascular endothelial function in humans: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Atherosclerosis. 2012 Apr;221(2):311-6. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.10.027. Epub 2011 Oct 25. PMID: 22088605.

[6] Tiano L, Belardinelli R, Carnevali P, Principi F, Seddaiu G, Littarru GP. Effect of coenzyme Q10 administration on endothelial function and extracellular superoxide dismutase in patients with ischaemic heart disease: a double-blind, randomized controlled study. Eur Heart J. 2007 Sep;28(18):2249-55. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehm267. Epub 2007 Jul 19. PMID: 17644511.

[7] Yeung, Pollen. (2014). Coenzyme Q10 for Cardiovascular Prevention. Cardiovascular Pharmacology: Open Access. 03. 10.4172/2329-6607.1000e125.

[8] Coenzyme Q10. Mayo Clinic.

[9] Dallner G, Brismar K, Chojnacki T, Swiezewska E. Regulation of coenzyme Q biosynthesis and breakdown. Biofactors. 2003;18(1-4):11-22. doi: 10.1002/biof.5520180203. PMID: 14695916.

[10] Coenzyme Q10. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University.

[11] Bioperine.com/coq10/

[12] “Omega 3 Fatty Acids.” National Institutes of Health.

[13]  Penny M. Kris-Etherton, William S. Harris, Lawrence J. Appel, and for the AHA Nutrition Committee. “Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease.” Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2003;23:151–152.

[14] Hu Y, Hu FB, Manson JE. Marine Omega-3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease: An Updated Meta-Analysis of 13 Randomized Controlled Trials Involving 127 477 Participants. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019 Oct;8(19):e013543. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.119.013543. Epub 2019 Sep 30. PMID: 31567003; PMCID: PMC6806028.

[15] Maresz K. Proper Calcium Use: Vitamin K2 as a Promoter of Bone and Cardiovascular Health. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015 Feb;14(1):34-9. PMID: 26770129; PMCID: PMC4566462.

[16] Cosentino N, Campodonico J, Milazzo V, De Metrio M, Brambilla M, Camera M, Marenzi G. Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives. Nutrients. 2021; 13(10):3603. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103603

[17] van Ballegooijen AJ, Pilz S, Tomaschitz A, Grübler MR, Verheyen N. The Synergistic Interplay between Vitamins D and K for Bone and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:7454376. doi: 10.1155/2017/7454376. Epub 2017 Sep 12. PMID: 29138634; PMCID: PMC5613455.

[18] Hariri E, Kassis N, Iskandar J, et alVitamin K2—a neglected player in cardiovascular health: a narrative reviewOpen Heart 2021;8:e001715. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2021-001715

[19] Vitamin D. The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health.

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