Top Supplements for Your Heart

One in three Americans has one or more types of cardiovascular disease—39 million of which are age 60 and older. High blood pressure is a major indicator of emerging heart disease, but there are things you can do to reduce your risks. Health experts recommend that healthy people get adequate nutrients by eating a variety of foods in moderation, rather than by taking supplements, but the following list of 10 supplements will help protect your heart and keep it strong and functioning for years to come.

Omega-3’s: Omega-3 supplements have several protective benefits for people at risk for developing cardiovascular disease and those who have already been diagnosed—including the lowering of high blood pressure, decreasing the risk of arrhythmia, and inhibiting the buildup of plaque in the arteries.
Fiber: Fiber pills and powders can help keep blood pressure within a normal range.
Antioxidants: Antioxidants—including vitamins A and C—have been shown to improve recovery following a stroke.
Magnesium: This mineral helps to restore the healthy functioning of blood vessels. Magnesium also helps patients with heart disease exercise longer, and recover quicker.
Potassium: Optimal levels of this mineral aid in the transmission of electrical impulses in the heart that regulate the heartbeat.
Garlic: Garlic has been shown to have a positive effect among people with mild high blood pressure.
Coenzyme Q-10: This beneficial supplement significantly reduced systolic and diastolic pressure in a 12-week Australian study.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C blocks the damage that can be caused by free-radicals, byproducts that can accelerate the aging process and make you more likely to develop heart disease.
Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Thiamine assists the cells with the conversion of carbohydrates into energy and ensures that the muscles and nervous systems are all functioning properly. Deficiencies can result in congestive heart failure.
Vitamin E: In a study out of Cambridge University, Vitamin E reduced the risk of both fatal and non-fatal heart attacks by 47 percent and non-fatal heart attacks by 77 percent.