Better Nutrition February 2019

isk for heart attacks and stroke by
49–70 percent. Spending more than
an hour a week on weightlifting didn’t
produce any added benefits. The key is
to challenge muscles.
Heart-Healthy Supplements for Everyone
Whether you take prescription drugs or not, these are Stephen Sinatra’s top
supplement recommendations for a healthy heart. Don’t take vitamin K 2
if you’re
taking warfarin. Otherwise, all these can be taken with blood thinners, statins, and
blood-pressure drugs—just let your doctor know about any supplements you take.
COQ10: After age 30, take 50–100 mg daily of CoQ10 (preferably Ubiquinol). After age
60, take 100 mg daily. If taking statins, try 100 mg, and if there’s no improvement
in the way you feel, take 200–300 mg daily. If you take warfarin, make sure to get
regular blood tests and tell your doctor that you’re taking the supplement.
VITAMIN K 2
: After age 50, take 150 mcg daily of the MK-7 form (but not if you’re taking
warfarin).
FISH OIL: Add the amount of EPA and DHA in a product. Take at least 1,000 mg of an
EPA/DHA combination daily.
MULTIVITAMIN: If taking medications, take a daily serving of a product that contains
no more than 100 percent of the Daily Value (% DV in Supplement Facts) of each
nutrient. Otherwise, take any multivitamin of your choice.
MAGNESIUM: Take 400–800 mg daily. If you get loose stools, decrease the dosage.
CURCUMIN: It reduces inflammation that can damage the heart. The dosage for
patented forms (e.g., BCM-95, CurcuWIN, or Meriva) range from 250–750 mg daily;
for all other brands, follow label guidelines.
RESVERATROL: A strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance found in red
grapes and wine, it protects the heart and helps control blood sugar. Take 10–50 mg
daily.
ASTAXANTHIN: An antioxidant that gives salmon and other seafood their red color,
it protects the heart, skin, eyes, and brain. Take 6–12 mg daily.
It’s always best to take supplements with food. If you’re taking any medication,
take supplements a couple of hours after the drug.
DRUG-SUPPLEMENT INTERACTIONS
Three out of four American adults take
supplements, and heart health is a leading
reason. However, despite the growing use of
drugs to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure,
or harmful blood clots, there’s a scarcity
of research about how to safely combine
these with supplements for optimum benefits.
Both supplements and drugs are
typically tested in isolation, and warnings
about interactions can be unnecessarily
alarming. According to the National
Institutes of Health, “Concerns about
herb-drug interactions are often not based
on rigorous research. Most herb-drug
interactions identified in current sources
are hypothetical, inferred from animal studies,
cellular assays, or based on other indirect
means.” That said, some drug-supplement
combinations can be dangerous.
Studies have found, for instance, that
St. John’s wort, popular for depression,
can reduce drug potency and should not
be taken with prescribed drugs unless
closely monitored by a physician. Based
on research and his clinical experience,
Stephen Sinatra, MD, a pioneer in integrative
cardiology and author of The Sinatra
Solution: Metabolic Cardiology also
recommends avoiding:
Licorice with blood pressure drugs,
as the herb can raise blood pressure.
Extended-release niacin with cholesterollowering
statins, as the combination
can put too much stress on the liver.
Specific blood-thinning nutrients
and herbs with drugs that thin blood,
as the combination could lead to
dangerous bleeding. (Keep reading for
more on blood-thinning supplements).
On the other hand, medications can
deplete nutrients that are vital for heart
health, and the right supplements are
essential to counteract such depletions,
reduce some drug side effects, and improve
30 • FEBRUARY 2019