In a new survey, 97% of Americans said they believe supplements can improve heart health, but experts say there's little proof supplements actually help

Can Supplements Actually Improve Heart Health? Here's what you need to know

• A new survey revealed that 97% of Americans believe supplements can improve heart health.
• However, experts said there is little evidence that taking supplements can reduce your risk of various heart conditions.
• Several supplements—like fish oil, CoQ10, and folic acid—may offer some support, but experts say an overall healthy lifestyle is the best protection against cardiovascular diseases.

Dietary supplements have soared in popularity in recent years, with people turning to capsules, pills, powders, gummies, and more to ward off numerous health problems—including heart conditions.

According to a new Cleveland Clinic survey, 97% of Americans believe supplements can improve heart health, with more than a third—38%—of respondents saying they take supplements specifically to improve heart health. If given the choice, 84% said they would rather take supplements than prescribed medication to protect their hearts.

In the United States, heart disease has been the leading cause of death for over a century. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, claim more lives than all forms of cancer and accidental deaths combined.

The survey revealed that multivitamins, vitamin D, and fish oils are some of the most common supplements people report taking for heart health.

However, a quick Google search reveals a litany of options claiming to help your heart: olive leaf capsules to maintain healthy blood pressure; grape-seed extract chews to support blood pressure, circulation, and blood flow; and even capsules of cow blood extract, spleen, and liver to improve iron stores, oxygen delivery, and endurance.

While proactive lifestyle changes can boost heart health and reduce the chances of major cardiovascular events, unfortunately, cardiologists say there’s little proof that supplements offer protection.

“It’s a little bit troubling for the general public to think that supplements have that significant an impact on heart health,” Luke Laffin, MD, co-director of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health. 

Here’s what’s known about how supplements can affect heart health, as well as what cardiologists recommend for keeping your cardiovascular system in shape. 

What Research Suggests

The United States Preventive Services Task Force says there's not enough evidence to know how and if supplements affect cardiovascular disease, which refers to various conditions that impact the heart and blood vessels.

In other words, research hasn’t demonstrated that any supplements can conclusively lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiac death, Stephen Kopecky, MD, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and author of the book, “Live Younger Longer,” told Health. 

However, Kopecky noted that some supplements do show at least some potential for improving certain heart health markers. Three popular ones fall into this category.

The first is fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids. Recent studies show that fish oil might lower levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in your blood. High triglycerides can put you at higher risk of heart and vascular disease.

“A low dose is probably going to be helpful for people who have a higher risk for heart disease,” Wenliang Song, MD, MTR, FNLA, director of lipid research at the Brown University Health Cardiovascular Institute, told Health. 

Yet even when it comes to fish oil, there are big unknowns, Song added. For example, it’s unclear whether DHA or EPA, two types of omega-3s found in fish oil, impact blood clots differently. That’s something Song is currently researching. “We think people may need a different type of fish oil, depending on who you are,” said Song. “This is still a question that needs to be answered.”

It’s also worth noting that many studies on omega-3s use an FDA-approved prescription form of fish oil rather than over-the-counter fish oil pills, meaning the findings of these studies wouldn’t apply to supplements you buy at the grocery store or pharmacy.

Supplementing with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant the body produces naturally, might also offer some benefit.

Some studies suggest that CoQ10 could be beneficial for people with heart failure, but Kopecky said that other papers are less conclusive. Even when results have been encouraging, it’s unclear if CoQ10 or a cholesterol-lowering statin often taken simultaneously accounts for the reduced risk. 

Then there’s folic acid, a B vitamin naturally found in leafy green vegetables, beans, and nuts. The vitamin has been shown to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid found in the blood that, when elevated, can lead to an increased risk of blood clots, heart disease, and stroke.

Studies suggest folic acid may protect against strokes, especially for people deficient in folate, but there’s no evidence that it slashes the chances of heart disease, a heart attack, or death.

Can Supplements Be Harmful?

While many supplements advertised to support cardiovascular health are generally safe, some can be detrimental to your health in certain circumstances.

For example, some studies suggest that taking high doses of fish oil could actually be bad for your cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke.

“Take caution, because different types of fish oil may have different side effect profiles,” Song said.

Some supplements could also be dangerous to mix with prescribed medications. For example, vitamin D, sometimes taken to support the heart, may reduce the efficacy of statins.

Experts note that, unlike prescription medications, the FDA largely does not regulate supplements for purity, quality, and strength. In other words, manufacturers don’t have to show that their supplements are safe or effective.

“One product might contain very different concentrations and purity than the next, despite having the same label in the pharmacy or health food store,” Sheryl L. Chow, PharmD, an associate professor at Western University of Health Sciences and associate clinical professor of medicine at UC Irvine, told Health.

Before trying a new supplement, Chow recommends checking with your doctor or pharmacist. 

How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Supplements become the most dangerous when they’re used to replace prescribed medications. To keep your heart in shape, always take the medications prescribed by your doctor.

Beyond that, good heart health largely comes down to your daily habits. 

“Even prescription medicines that we know are life-saving don't replace a lifestyle, so always keep working on the lifestyle,” said Kopecky. “Nothing you do to help your heart health is ever too little… and then nothing you do is ever too late in your life.”

The American Heart Association recommends several heart-healthy practices: being active, quitting tobacco, getting enough sleep, and managing your weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Instead of reaching for supplements, experts generally recommend that most people obtain nutrients through food. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and proteins like seafood, nuts, and legumes can benefit your heart. If you want to increase your omega-3 intake, for example, Kopecky said to eat more fish. Good options include salmon and sardines.

Finally, Laffin advised taking action when something seems off rather than waiting for your health to take a turn. 

“Understand your numbers, certain biomarkers that increase your cardiovascular risk, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood cholesterol levels,” he said. “Based on those, talk to your doctor.” 

Edited by Health with a background in health, science, and investigative reporting. Previously, she wrote full time about parenting issues for the app Parent Lab. Before that, she worked as a reporter for National Geographic covering wildlife crime and exploitation." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Jani Hall Jani Hall Jani Hall is a news editor for Health with a background in health, science, and investigative reporting. Previously, she wrote full time about parenting issues for the app Parent Lab. Before that, she worked as a reporter for National Geographic covering wildlife crime and exploitation. learn more

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Sarah Cottone