Vitamins, Herbs and Supplements
and their use for Cardiovascular Disease

Vitamins and herbs are not regulated by the FDA so a manufacturer can and will say almost anything to get you to buy their products. The health claims made can be misleading or down right false.

Many vitamins, herbs and supplements have sold as under the pretense of preventing cardiovascular disease. Most have not been thoroughly tested by modern scientific methods. Some vitamins, like Niacin, have been used and tested for decades and have proved to be very useful. Other vitamins, such as antioxidants, have been thoroughly tested but the results show no significant benefit in helping people with cardiovascular disease. Still other supplements, like Garlic, may have more folklore behind them than science.

Never trust information given to you when the source of the information is also trying to sell you something. Always look for an independent and objective source for information. Also, ask for references; "What journal did this appear in?" "Who did the research?  If the researcher is the one selling the product and the reference is the book they wrote, don’t waste your time or money.

The most useful or beneficial:

Niacin (vitamin B-3) - Niacin has been used for many decades to reduce cholesterol. It is probably the best 'medicine' for raising HDL (good lipid) and is very effective at lowering Triglycerides. Niacin also lowers LDL (bad lipid), though not as effective as statin medicines. Niacin and statins are often used together and can produce excellent results in improving lipid levels. Side-effects with Niacin can be flushing or stomach upset. Consult your physician before trying Niacin. Niacin needs to be treated as a medication when used for lowering cholesterol; routine blood tests. Doses range from 500 mg up to 4000 mg a day. The prescription form of Niacin is Niaspan®. Many over-the-counter forms of Niacin are available, but remember, these are not regulated and not necessarily tested for safety or effectiveness. One brand, Slo-Niacin® by the pharmaceutical company Upsher-Smith has been used in several clinical trials and has been shown to be safe and effective.

Folic Acid and vitamins B-6 & B-12 - These B-vitamins are used to reduce levels of Homocyteine in the blood. Recent research has shown that lowering Homocysteine after an angioplasty can decrease the need for another angioplasty in the follwing several months. Consult your physician before taking these vitamins because they could hide a B-vitamin deficiency, which could lead to nerve damage. Some physicians routinely screen for this deficiency before adding B-vitamins.

Omega (n)-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) - These fish oil (EPA / DHA) capsules are used to reduce levels of Triglycerides. Side-effects are minor and include a fishy odor and stomach upset. Fish oil can cause decreased blood clotting. Doses range from 6g to 20g a day. Consult your physician before using fish oil supplements.
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Other Vitamins & Supplements:

Vitamin E and other Antioxidants - Many studies have looked at the possible benefit of Vitamin E and other antioxidants (Vitamins C, A and Selenium). The results of the largest controlled studies have shown no benefit from taking vitamin E (and othe antioxidants) for people who have heart disease or are at high risk for heart disease. A fairly recent study (reported November 2001) looked at one of four therapies: (1)placebo, (2)simvastatin (Zocor) and niacin, (3)antioxidant vitamins or a (4)mix of the two treatments for the prevention of coronary disease. The combination of simvastatin and niacin provided marked benefits in these patients. With simvastatin plus niacin, risk of a heart attack or hospitalization for chest pain was cut by 70%. A mixture of antioxidant vitamins, on the other hand, has no beneficial effect at all on cardiovascular outcomes, and actually decreased the benefits of the statin/niacin combination, the study suggests.

The American Heart Association recommends that antioxidant vitamins come from foods not supplements.

Click here for clinical studies of antioxidant vitamins

Garlic - Many studies have been done on garlic and cholesterol. Most were of poor quality, that is, few people were involved in the study or the study lasted for only a short period of time or there was no placebo group of the study. More recent, high quality studies that included a placebo group showed that garlic was no better than placebo (sugar pill) in lowering cholesterol.
Do not take garlic without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or diabetes, or if you are taking any medicines to prevent or treat a blood clotting disorder or diabetes. Garlic has been reported to affect blood clotting and blood sugar levels.