Vitamin Therapy for Heart Disease

Vitamin Therapy for Heart Disease

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. As the most active muscle in the body, the heart requires proper nutrition. Poor nourishment has a profound effect on the heart. Research has shown that as people age, their eating habits get worse, thus increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease. In this case supplementation has to be resorted to to provide the body with the proper nutrition.

Caution:

 If you are pregnant, or intend to get pregnant, or if you have liver disease, consult your doctor before taking supplemental vitamin A.
 
 If you have high blood pressure, limit your intake of supplemental vitamin E to a total of 400 international units daily.
 
 If you are taking an anticoagulant (blood thinner), consult your physician before taking supplemental vitamin E.
 

Bioflavonoids: 

These are a group of compounds that provide color to citrus fruits and vegetables. In conjunction with Vitamin C, some bioflavonoids are potent antioxidants to improve the strength of small blood vessels or capillaries. They prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood and prevent the clotting of the blood by making the blood less thick.

Betacarotene: 

Beta carotene is the plant form of vitamin A. It can be converted into vitamin A by the body. Beta carotene, as an antioxidant,  protects against heart disease by inhibiting the conversion of LDL into its more dangerous, oxidized form.

One study found that 50 mg of beta carotene taken every other day reduced the incidence of major coronary and vascular events. Beta carotene is found in yellow-orange fruits and vegetables (

Vitamin C: 

Recent research has shown that taking plenty of Vitamin C provides more protection against heart disease than either maintaining a low blood cholesterol or eating a low fat diet. It is believed that the beneficial effect of Vitamin C is from a variety of factors:

 Vitamin C plays a role in the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids. If vitamin C is lacking, less cholesterol is converted. Instead, the cholesterol may build up in the arteries, blood and liver.
 
 Vitamin C is needed for the normal metabolism of blood fats. It builds the collagen that helps to keep artery walls strong.
 
 Vitamin C reduces the high blood pressure and reduces the hardening of the arteries.
 
 Vitamin C affects the levels of glutathione in the blood. Glutathione is a compound that helps guard against heart disease. Lower levels of Vitamin C was found to result in lower levels of glutathione in the blood stream.
 
 Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to control the free radicals and other oxidants that can convert LDL into its more dangerous, artery-clogging form.
 
 Vitamin C supplementation drives down cholesterol in people with high cholesterol and low levels of vitamin C in the blood. Adding pectin, or other agents that bind cholesterol, increases the effect.
 

The level of vitamin C in the blood has been found to be related to the CHD-related angina pain. The higher the level of vitamin C, the less pain.

Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries and sweet red peppers.

Vitamin E: 

Vitamin E is believed to prevent the oxidation of LDL, the bad cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

The vitamin may play a role in regulating the way that cells lining the arteries proliferate and repair themselves, and may protect them from the damaging oxidants. This helps to prevent the formation of blockages on the artery walls.

Vitamin E supplementation may increase the protective HDL.

The amount of vitamin E in the blood may be inversely related to the death from heart attacks. In other words, a greater level of vitamin E in the blood may translate to a lower risk of death.

Vitamin E strengthens the immune system and heart muscle, improves circulation, and destroys free radicals.

Caution: Use this supplement only under the supervision of a physician.

Recommended Dosage: Start with 100-200 IU daily and increase slowly, adding 100 IU each week until daily dosage is 800-1,000 IU. If you take an anticoagulant drug, do not exceed 400 IU daily. Use d-alpha-tocopherol form.

Selenium: 

The amount of selenium in the blood and red blood cells may be related to the risk of CHD and heart attacks. The lower the level of selenium, the more the risk. Selenium activates glutathione proxidase, one of the most potent antioxidants, that prevents the free radicals from attacking LDL cholesterol and prevent its conversion into its more artery-damaging, oxidized form. Selenium also helps to "thin" the blood. When the blood is "thin," there is less chance that unnecessary blood clots will form and trigger a heart attack by lodging in an already-narrowed artery. Lower levels of selenium has also been linked to higher levels of the incidence of stroke.