Heart Health

Heart health is the number one concern to our customers and one of the biggest threats we face to our health as we age. At this time of year, the heart is particularly vulnerable, as researchers have identified inclement weather and the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as being triggers of heart attacks (myocardial infarctions),¹ due to the extra stress produced by each of these events as well as the dietary burdens we place on our body at this time of year. In addition to lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise and consuming high-fat, high-sugar, low-fiber diets, another cardiovascular trigger is air pollution, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and strokes.^2-3

According to data from 2006, the latest year from which it is available, cardiovascular disease accounted for 34.3 percent of all deaths that year, or 1 of every 2.9 deaths in the United States.⁴ In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and approximately 470,000 had a recurrent attack.⁴ Approximately every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and approximately every minute, someone will die of one.⁴ Atherosclerosis, which leads to thickening of the artery walls, accounts for nearly three fourths of all deaths from cardiovascular disease.⁴

Cardiovascular concerns can occur at a relatively early age. More than 151,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease in 2006 were less than 65 years old.⁴

Although the stroke death rate fell from the years 1996 to 2006, the numbers are still as sobering as they are for heart attacks. Each year, approximately 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. Approximately, 610,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks. In 2006, strokes accounted for approximately 1 of every 18 deaths in the United States. On average, every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke.⁴

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for stroke. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006, 33.6 percent (an estimated 74,500,000) of U.S. adults have hypertension. Among hypertensive adults, approximately 78 percent are aware of their condition, 68 percent are using antihypertensive medication, but only 44 percent of those treated had their hypertension controlled.⁴

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm) also is a strong predictor of stroke and heart disease. The number of people with atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia) may exceed 12 million by 2050.⁵ Atrial fibrillation independently increases the risk of ischemic stroke by 4- to 5-fold⁶ and is to blame for at least 15 to 20 percent of all ischemic strokes.⁷

Atrial fibrillation is also an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke severity and recurrence. In one study, people who had untreated atrial fibrillation had a 2.1-fold increase in risk for recurrent stroke and a 2.4-fold increase in risk for recurrent severe stroke.⁸ Furthermore, a study of more than 4,600 patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation showed that risk of death within the first 4 months after the atrial fibrillation diagnosis was high.⁹

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the main concerns of many people who want to support their heart health, although the degree to which cholesterol causes heart disease is still under debate since many people who have heart attacks don’t have high cholesterol. An estimated 35,700,000 adults in the U.S. have total serum cholesterol levels of 240 mg/d or above, with a prevalence of 16.2 percent.⁴

LDL “bad” cholesterol levels of 130 to 159 mg/dL are considered borderline high, according to standard reference ranges, though trying to achieve a level below 100 is the commonly preferred goal. Levels of 160 to 189 mg/dL are classified as high, and levels of 190 mg/dL and above are considered very high.⁴ An HDL “good” cholesterol level below 40 mg/dL in adults is considered overly low and is commonly considered among many to be a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.⁴ It is the ratio of LDL to HDL that is the most important criteria for determining a person’s cholesterol status.

Inflammation

Inflammation is invariably a strong risk factor for heart disease as well. Since atherosclerosis may, in part, be an inflammatory disease, circulating factors related to inflammation may predict cardiovascular disease. One of these inflammatory factors is high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). Researchers have found that circulating levels of CRP can help predict the risk for initial cardiovascular events.¹⁰

Both elevated LDL and CRP are a combined risk factor working together to damage blood vessels. Even more powerful was the finding that the 27,939 women participants with low LDL and high CRP were at higher risk than those with high LDL and low CRP levels.¹¹

Other risk factors will not be discussed in this article, yet are also a must to monitor, including homocysteine, fibrinogen, and lipoprotein A, B and LDL particle size.

Nutritional Support for the Heart

We offer a number of heart-supporting products. Below are some of the most popular.

CardioCare

CardioCare is formulated with coenzyme Q10, taurine, L-arginine, hawthorn, carnitine and Salvia miltiorrhiza to support overall heart health. Coenzyme Q10 is essential to cellular energy processes and thus assumes importance in cells with high-energy requirements such as the cardiac cells, which are extremely sensitive to CoQ10 deficiency produced by less than optimal cardiac health. Researchers have noted significant improvement in exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and other cardiac illnesses when the patients were given adjunctive CoQ10 in doses from 60 to 200 mg daily.¹²

Other cardiac nutrients include taurine and L-arginine. Deficiencies of these amino acids are linked to heart arrhythmias. Case histories of people with very frequent arrhythmias have shown that 10-20 grams of taurine per day reduced premature atrial contractions (PACs) by 50 percent and stopped all premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), but did not prevent pauses. Adding 4-6 grams of L-arginine immediately terminated essentially all remaining pauses and PACs, maintaining normal cardiac rhythm with continued use.¹³ Carnitine is another amino acid important to proper cardiac functioning. It reduces LDL oxidation, the process by which free radicals damage lipids in the body and play a role in LDL’s heart-damaging effects.¹⁴

Hawthorn and Salvia are two botanicals important for healthy heart function. A review of the medical literature found that hawthorn extract may improve symptoms in patients with mild to moderate heart failure, significantly enhancing exercise tolerance and reducing shortness of breath and fatigue. Hawthorn extract also increased the maximum workload.¹⁵ Salvia miltiorrhiza protects cardiac cells known as myocytes from damage and has protected animal hearts from injury after oxygen deprivation.^16-17

LipiControl®

Natural substances including red yeast rice, guggulipid, gamma-oryzanol, beta-sitosterol and niacin (found in the formula LipiControl®) are used to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Guggulipid contains the active constituents guggulsterones, which can inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver and modulate bile acid metabolism.¹⁸ In one study, guggulipid containing a standardized dose of 50 mg of guggulsterones per day was given to subjects with elevated cholesterol for 24 weeks. The results showed that guggulipid supplementation helped to support healthier cholesterol levels.¹⁹

Gamma-oryzanol, derived from rice bran oil, is another substance that can support healthy lipid levels. Evidence suggests that gamma-oryzanol acts by decreasing cholesterol absorption and increasing cholesterol excretion.^20-21 Other compounds known to play a role in lipid health include beta-sitosterol and niacin. Beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol similar in structure to cholesterol, inhibits cholesterol absorption and helps maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol.²² Niacin (vitamin B3) also often is used to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.²³ Inositol hexanicotinate, which causes less or no flushing seen with niacin or nicotinic acid supplementation, is therefore preferred by many people.

CardioRhythm

Individuals who want to support normal heart rhythm and cardiac function use CardioRhythm. Magnesium deficiency is associated with heart rhythm changes including atrial fibrillation and flutter.²⁴ Correction of magnesium deficiency helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels, supports heart health and maintains a normal heart rhythm.²⁵ Taurine is an amino acid known to have anti-arrhythmic and blood-pressure-maintaining effects. It also inhibits cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis, stabilizes platelets and improves the ability of heart muscle tissue to contract.^25-26 Taurine supplementation is reported to improve premature atrial and ventricular contractions by regulating the excitability of the heart tissue and protecting against free radical damage.^27-28

CardioRhythm also contains two cardiac-supporting botanicals, berberine and Sophora flavescens. Berberine has heart-rhythm-supporting activity, increases the strength of heart contractions, dilates blood vessels and decreases heart rate.²⁹ One study showed that in patients with congestive heart failure, berberine supplementation improved the heart’s ability to pump out blood, lessened the frequency of premature ventricular contractions and decreased ventricular tachycardia.³⁰ Sophora flavescens has been shown to reduce the incidence and delay the onset of experimentally-induced ventricular tachycardia.³¹ One of the constituents, oxymatrine, reduces both atrial and ventricular premature beats.³² In one study, Sophora flavescens demonstrated significant ability to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, heart rate, left ventricular pressure and to increase the ventricular fibrillation threshold.³³

When supporting normal cardiac rhythm, working closely with one’s personal healthcare provider is always important.

Krill Oil

Krill oil has emerged as an ideal option for anyone interested in the heart-supporting properties of omega-3 fatty acids. One important way the omega-3 fatty acids found in krill protect the heart is by virtue of their ability to support a healthy inflammatory response.³⁴

Additionally, krill has been shown to exert other effects on the heart. In a study of mice fed a high-fat diet, krill oil supplementation caused a significant reduction in liver weight (hepatomegaly) and total liver fat (hepatic steatosis), due to a dose-dependent reduction in hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol. Serum cholesterol levels were reduced by up to 29 percent and blood glucose was reduced by up to 42 percent. This led the researchers to conclude that krill oil may help patients with the metabolic syndrome, which is a risk factor for heart disease, as well as protect the health of the liver.³⁵

CoQ10-H2™

CoQ10-H2 is added to a cardioprotective supplement regimen for an additional boost to heart health. CoQ10-H2, a potent, reduced form of oral coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol), is highly bioavailable and produces sustained, elevated blood levels of total coenzyme Q10, at lower dosages. Fifty milligrams (50 mg.) of CoQ10-H2 yields improved blood levels, which produce the prolonged bioenergetic and antioxidant benefits.

New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class IV congestive heart failure patients are often unable to reach adequate plasma CoQ10 levels even after consuming up to 900 mg per day of standard CoQ10 supplements. These patients often have low plasma total CoQ10 levels and have limited clinical improvement. Researchers believe these low levels are the result of the intestinal edema that occurs in these patients, which may impair CoQ10 absorption.³⁶

A study found that congestive heart failure patients who consumed CoQ10-H2 had higher levels of this antioxidant in their blood and had a greater degree of clinical improvement than patients receiving the standard form of CoQ10 (ubiquinone). The prognosis for patients with NYHA class IV heart failure is very poor with mortality as high as 74 percent at 6 months and 94 percent at 12 months, but six of the seven patients receiving CoQ10-H2 survived longer than expected and remained stable throughout the 12-month study. The one patient in this study that did not survive stopped taking the CoQ10-H2 after three months, even after experiencing an improvement in heart function.³⁶

An earlier study by another group of researchers found that in 236 patients with chronic heart failure, plasma CoQ10 concentration was an independent predictor of mortality.³⁷

Conclusion

The heart is vulnerable to a number of conditions that can impair its ability to function effectively. Nourishing the heart with nutritional support can ensure that it remains protected against the lifestyle and dietary threats to which we are exposed daily.

References

1. Schwartz BG, Mayeda GS, Burstein S, Economides C, Kloner RA. When and why do heart attacks occur? Cardiovascular triggers and their potential role. Hosp Pract (Minneap). 2010 Aug;38(4):144-52.

2. Serinelli M, Gianicolo EA, Cervino M, Mangia C, Portaluri M, Vigotti MA. [Acute effects of air pollution in Brindisi (Italy): a case-crossover analysis.] [Article in Italian]. Epidemiol Prev. 2010 May-Jun;34(3):100-7.

3. Henrotin JB, Besancenot JP, Bejot Y, Giroud M. Short-term effects of ozone air pollution on ischaemic stroke occurrence: a case-crossover analysis from a 10-year population-based study in Dijon, France. Occup Environ Med. 2007 Jul;64(7):439-45.

4. Lloyd-Jones D., Adams RJ, Brown TM, Carnethon M, Dai S, et. al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2010 Update. A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. Published Online Dec 17, 2009.

5. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Gersh BJ, Cha SS, Bailey KR, Abhayaratna WP, Seward JB, Tsang TS. Secular trends in incidence of atrial fibrillation in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1980 to 2000, and implications on the projections for future prevalence [published correction appears in Circulation. 2006;114:e498]. Circulation. 2006;114:119-125

6. Wolf PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke. 1991;22:983-988.

7. Go AS. The epidemiology of atrial fibrillation in elderly persons: the tip of the iceberg. Am J Geriatr Cardiol. 2005;14:56-61.

8. Penado S, Cano M, Acha O, Hernández JL, Riancho JA. Atrial fibrillation as a risk factor for stroke recurrence. Am J Med. 2003;114:206-210.

9. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Bailey KR, Cha SS, Gersh BJ, Seward JB, Tsang TS. Mortality trends in patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation: a 21-year community-based study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;49:986-992.

10. Wilson PW, Pencina M, Jacques P, Selhub J, D’Agostino R Sr, O’Donnell CJ. C-reactive protein and reclassification of cardiovascular risk in the Framingham Heart Study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2008 Nov;1(2):92-7.

11. Ridker PM, et al. Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events. New England Journal of Medicine. November 14, 2002. 347(20):1557-1565.

12. Kumar A, Kaur H, Devi P, Mohan V. Role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in cardiac disease, hypertension and Meniere-like syndrome. Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Jul 25. Published Online Ahead of Print.

13. Eby G, Halcomb WW. Elimination of cardiac arrhythmias using oral taurine with l-arginine with case histories: Hypothesis for nitric oxide stabilization of the sinus node. Med Hypotheses. 2006;67(5):1200-4.

14. Malaguarnera M, Vacante M, Avitabile T, Malaguarnera M, Cammalleri L, Motta M. L-Carnitine supplementation reduces oxidized LDL cholesterol in patients with diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;89(1):71-6.

15. Pittler MH, Guo R, Ernst E. Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1.

16. Ling S, Luo R, Dai A, Guo Z, Guo R, Komesaroff PA. A pharmaceutical preparation of Salvia miltiorrhiza protects cardiac myocytes from tumor necrosis factor-induced apoptosis and reduces angiotensin II-stimulated collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. Phytomedicine. 2009 Jan;16(1):56-64.

17. Nie R, Xia R, Zhong X, Xia Z. Salvia miltiorrhiza treatment during early reperfusion reduced postischemic myocardial injury in the rat. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2007 Oct;85(10):1012-9.

18. Wu J, Xia C, Meier J, et al. The hypolipidemic natural product guggulsterone acts as an antagonist of the bile acid receptor. Mol Endocrinol. 2002 Jul;16(7):1590-7.

19. Singh RB, Niaz MA, Ghosh S. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Commiphora mukul as an adjunct to dietary therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther.1994;8:659-664.

20. Seetharamaiah GS, Chandrasekhara N. Effect of oryzanol on cholesterol absorption & biliary & fecal bile acids in rats. Indian J Med Res.1990 Dec;92:471-5.

21. Berger A, Rein D, Schäfer A, et al. Similar cholesterol-lowering properties of rice bran oil, with varied gamma-oryzanol, in mildly hypercholesterolemic men. Eur J Nutr. 2005 Mar;44(3):163-73.

22. Moghadasian MH, Frohlich JJ. Effects of dietary phytosterols on cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerosis: clinical and experimental evidence. Am J Med.1999 Dec;107(6):588-94.

23. Squires RW, Allison TG, Gau GT, et al. Low-dose, time-release nicotinic acid: effects in selected patients with low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Mayo Clin Proc.1992 Sep;67(9):855-60.

24. Nielsen FH, Milne DB, Klevay LM, et al. Dietary magnesium deficiency induces heart rhythm changes, impairs glucose tolerance, and decreases serum cholesterol in post menopausal women. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007 Apr;26(2):121-32.

25. McCarty MF. Complementary vascular-protective actions of magnesium and taurine: a rationale for magnesium taurate. Med Hypotheses. 1996 Feb;46(2):89-100.

26. Fujita T, Ando K, et al. Effects of increased adrenomedullary activity and taurine in young patients with borderline hypertension. Circulation.1987 Mar;75(3):525-32.

27. Eby G, Halcomb WW. Elimination of cardiac arrhythmias using oral taurine with l-arginine with case histories: Hypothesis for nitric oxide stabilization of the sinus node. Med Hypotheses. 2006;67(5):1200-4.

28. Chahine R, Feng J. Protective effects of taurine against reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in isolated ischemic rat heart. Arzneimittelforschung. 1998 Apr;48(4):360-4.

29. Lau CW, Yao XQ, Chen ZY, et al. Cardiovascular actions of berberine. Cardiovasc Drug Rev. 2001 Fall;19(3):234-44.

30. Zeng XH, Zeng XJ, Li YY. Efficacy and safety of berberine for congestive heart failure secondary to ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol. 2003 Jul 15;92(2):173-6.

31. Dai S, Chan MY, Lee SS, et al. The antiarrhythmic effects of Sophora flavescens Ait. in rats and mice. Am J Chin Med.1986;14(3-4):119-23.

32. Guo ZB, Fu JG, Zhao Y. Therapeutic efficacy of oxymatrine on arrhythmia and heart rate variability in patients with coronary heart disease. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2006 Apr;26(4):311-5.

33. Dai S, Chan MY, Lee SS, et al. Effects of Sophora flavescens Ait. on haemodynamics and ventricular fibrillation threshold in anaesthetized dogs. Am J Chin Med.1987;15(1-2):53-7.

34. Ierna M, Kerr A, Scales H, Berge K, Griinari M. Supplementation of diet with krill oil protects against experimental rheumatoid arthritis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Jun 29;11:136.

35. Tandy S, Chung RW, Wat E, Kamili A, Berge K, Griinari M, Cohn JS. Dietary krill oil supplementation reduces hepatic steatosis, glycemia, and hypercholesterolemia in high-fat-fed mice. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Oct 14;57(19):9339-45.

36. Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. Supplemental ubiquinol in patients with advanced congestive heart failure. BioFactors. December 2008;32:119-128.

37. Molyneux SL, Florkowski CM, George PM, Pilbrow AP, Frampton CM, Lever M, Richards AM. Coenzyme Q10: an independent predictor of mortality in chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Oct 28;52(18):1435-41.