Many times patients ask me what the best supplements to take everyday for the heart. Specifically I want to address the top 4 supplements (with a few extras) that have proven benefit to patients with any cardiovascular disease (i.e high blood pressure, prior heart attack). All of these supplements can be found on my online store and are pharmaceutical grade (meaning they have been tested for purity and standardized)
1. Coenzyme Q10: the dose is anywhere from 100-360mg per day. Coenzyme Q10 helps the cells regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the main form of energy that the body uses. Ultimate all the glucose, amino acids and fats we eat get converted into ATP. It also reduces the damage to the cell from free radicals. The damaged heart can quickly lose substrate for making ATP and never catch up without supplementation.
2. D-Ribose: dose is 5mg 3x per day. D-Ribose is the sugar backbone of the ATP molecule. Again, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the main compound that the cell uses for energy. Having enough of this substrate is critical to being able to generate ATP for the damaged heart.
3. L-Carnitine: 1000-1500mg per day: L-Carnitine allows fatty acids to be transported across the mitochondrial membrane (mitochondria is the energy generating powerhouse of the cell) to be used for energy. It also assists in detoxifying the metabolites of aerobic respiration from the mitochondria.
4. Magnesium: dose is 400-800mg/day. Magnesium assists with over 300 functions in the body but specifically in assisting the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle itself.
Collectively these 4 nutrients have been called the “Awesome Foursome” which is a term coined by Dr. Stephen Sinatra who is a renowned metabolic cardiologist.
In addition to these 4 nutrients I also recommend that every patient has their Vitamin D levels checked. Levels > 60 have been shown to reduce the risks of many cancers up to 83%. 90% of the patients I check vitamin D levels on are deficient or have insufficient levels,
Lastly, you need to eat cold water fish to get the benefits from the omega-3 fish oils (fatty acids). Most patients need 4-5 grams per day which is the equivalent of an 8 ounce piece of salmon. The problem with eating fish every day is the high levels of toxins, specifically mercury, that are present in our fish supply. So I personally tell all my patients to take Xymogen Arctic Oils 3 capsules per day (each capsule is 1.4 grams).
Feel free to call or email me directly if you have questions about what supplements you should or should be taking. I would be happy to give you my professional opinion.
Dr. Breen
