Nutritional Supplements For Cardiovascular Health

The old saying that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" was never truer than when it comes to heart disease. Heart disease remains the leading killer of adults in the western world. Therefore, proper heart nutrition, combined with healthy behavioral and lifestyle choices, is essential to supporting and maintaining cardiovascular health.

Traditional herbs and supplements have been used for many years to support cardiovascular health. While herbal and nutritional supplements should never be used as a substitute for regular medical examinations, the evidence in favor of nutritional support for the heart is difficult to ignore.

Nutritional support for cardiovascular health should be able to:

1. Provide antioxidant activity
The ease at which LDL is oxidized is the central factor in the initiation of atherosclerosis, and this is the reason LDL has earned the more common nickname of "bad cholesterol." The following antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and plant-based compounds can help prevent the oxidation of LDL and retard this destructive process:
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin E
* Beta-carotene
* Selenium
* Olive extract
* Lycopene
* Grape seed extract
* Alpha-Lipoic Acid

2. Provide nutritional support for the heart muscle
The heart is a muscle, and just like any other muscle of the body, it requires vitamins, compounds and nutrients for maximum performance. Two important compounds to support the heart muscle are:
* Coenzyme Q10
* L-Carnitine

3. Lower blood pressure
High blood pressure means that the heart has to work harder to do its job. Proper nutritional support, diet, exercise, and weight control are essential to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Minerals which can help accomplish this include:
* Calcium
* Magnesium
* Potassium

4. Lower cholesterol levels in the blood
Cholesterol is a fat, or lipid, that is necessary for life. It is an essential component of all our cell membranes and is necessary to establish proper fluidity and membrane permeability. Though necessary for life, too much cholesterol in the blood is not good. Excess cholesterol in the blood, known as hypercholesterolemia, can lead to atherosclerosis, clogged and blocked arteries, and, ultimately, a heart attack or stroke. Several plant-based compounds have demonstrated their ability to lower cholesterol in most people. They include:
* Plant sterols
* Resveratrol
* Policosanol

5. Lower homocysteine levels in the blood
Another risk factor for heart disease, homocysteine, is an amino acid, which, when elevated in the blood, damages the inner lining of the vessels that supply blood to the heart and helps to initiate the atherosclerotic process. The following nutrients can help lower elevated blood levels of homocysteine:
* Folic acid
* Vitamin B6
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin B2
* Betaine

6. Lower triglyceride levels in the blood
Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood. Like cholesterol, having a high level of Triglycerides in the blood is a risk factor for heart disease. Triglycerides in the blood are kept in check by:
* Omega-3 fish oils

There are many herbal supplements that contain one or two of these supplements, but look for one that contains as many of these supplements as possible in order to achieve maximum effectiveness in achieving optimum cardiovascular health.