Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing about 800,000 Americans every year through heart attacks, hypertension or strokes. Every 40 seconds, an American has a heart attack, and it is estimated that more than 18 million people die from CVDs every year.
Apart from being one of the biggest health threats the world is facing, cardiovascular disease is also a major economic concern, costing Governments and individuals millions in treatments and surgical interventions. Although CVDs can be hereditary, most cases are caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits that are exceedingly common in the modern world, such a poor diet, smoking and inactivity, or by health conditions like diabetes or obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of Americans have at least three of the main heart disease risk factors and one in three adults suffers from high cholesterol and hypertension without even knowing. Because heart disease can be prevented, a healthy and balanced lifestyle is crucial and people should not wait for their first cardiovascular accident to start taking measures. For example, having a healthy diet and taking certain supplements has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
According to the Nutrition Business Journal, the U.S. heart health supplements market is worth $2.5 billion, accounting for 13% of the supplements sold nationally. However, not all of these supplements are high quality and not all of them do what it says on the label. Nutraceuticals stand out as a reliable option for people looking to control cardiovascular risk and have been linked to a number of additional health benefits.
What role do nutraceutical supplements play?
The term “nutraceuticals” is relatively new, having been introduced in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine. It describes a food, or part of a food, that offers one or more health benefits and may be used to prevent or treat diseases. There are several classes of nutraceuticals available and what they have in common is that they are made from natural ingredients. Because of their short history, nutraceuticals are still being researched but, so far, there is strong scientific evidence to suggest that these classes of nutraceuticals can be used in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The term Nutraceutical comes from Latin meaning ‘nourishing drug’. The popularity of manufacturing supplements and nutrients was due to the decrease of vital nutrients in our agricultural process. Through genetic modification, overuse of soil, contamination and other factors, supplement manufacturers became the solution for individuals to have easy access to high concentration of vital minerals, vitamins et al.
Finding the Best Supplement Manufacturers
Within the $42B global supplement manufacturing industry, the rising stars seem to not be the glamourous marketing experts, but rather the manufacturers who focus on quality. Cardiovascular impacts can be felt daily by those who suffer. If the supplements do not take effect, this is easily noticed and the consumer will move to other products.
Dr Eric Huntington is the President of Custom Nutra; a golden standard vitamin manufacturers. In a recent interview with Inc Magazine he said, “The biggest deception within the supplement manufacturing industry is the overuse and non-quantification of supplement ‘fillers’ used in daily vitamin products. These are simply starch and sugar components which, when mixed with raw ingredients, can legally be stated as the full qty ingredient.”
With cardiovascular disease, the body needs to leverage its natural protocols to protect blood vessels and lower blood pressure and also fight the alien elements. To do this requires the energy generated through high dosages of nutrients within the body.
Below I will cover some of the common supplements taken for cardiovascular disease support, but in doing your due diligence on where to source these from it will be important to follow these guidelines:
- Don’t buy supplements because marketing says you should.
- Recognize that doctors need to make money. When they suggest a product it may be because of financial interests.
- Always check online forums for feedback and reviews.
- Don’t trust reviews. 😀
- Ask supplement manufacturers for test results.
- Know what you are reading. Clear up any confusions.
- Good supplements should show effect pretty rapidly. Keep on eye on changes and don’t feel afraid to move to another product.
Hawthorn
According to a 2016 study conducted at the University of Bologna, hawthorn, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, can be used to prevent CVDs. Although it works slowly, long term consumption of hawthorn supplements dilates the arteries and regulates heartbeats. Because of this, it is also recommended to patients who experience symptoms such as nervousness and anxiety or those who suffer from light forms of bradycardic arrythmia.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is crucial for the proper functioning of our bodies. Naturally found in the body, it is a vitamin-like substance that gives us energy and favors cell growth, fighting free radicals in the body. But, it also plays an important role in heart health. Coenzyme Q10 protects blood vessels by enhancing blood flow, lowering blood pressure and reducing the plaque in the arteries that may cause heart attacks. It balances good cholesterol levels, which is why CoQ10 supplements are prescribed to patients recovering from bypass and heart valve surgeries. Apart from heart health, CoQ10 has also been recommended for the prevention or treatment of muscle weakness, reproductive disorders and certain types of cancers, making it one of the most important nutritional substances.
Vitamin D
Typically associated with bone health benefits, “the sunshine vitamin”, as vitamin D is also called, can also be used to maintain cardiovascular health. According to scientists at the Ohio University, vitamin D-3 can be used to restore damage to the heart, occurred after heart attacks. Moreover, long term consumption of vitamin D-3, whether through supplements or foods such as egg yolks or fish, could also reduce oxidative stress to the heart and to the entire cardiovascular system as a whole. Studies have shown that this is one of the few vitamins that can reverse damage from high blood pressure, diabetes or atherosclerosis. Taken as a preventive measure, together with a balanced diet, vitamin D can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and should be a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
The idea that fats cause weight gain and are not good for you has been disproven a number of times. As in turns out, not all fats are bad. On the contrary, some fats, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can actually benefit heart health by reducing triglyceride levels, raising HDL-cholesterol levels (the good cholesterol), preventing blood clots and smoothing the arteries. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have also been proven to reduce high blood pressure, but they cannot reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Although many people believe that consuming fats increases the risk of obesity, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids actually do the complete opposite – they reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and reduce fat in the liver. So, eating foods that are rich in these fatty acids or taking omega-3 supplements is much healthier than fat-free products, which are often rich in sugar and sweeteners.
Conclusion
Know your products and know the supplement manufacturers behind the nutritional supplements you buy. We have science beyond our wildest dreams and though it can be corrupted for profit or personal gain, you can find manufacturers and supplement lines who are holding a steady course of integrity to ensure the results we want are available.
