Heart health: can supplements help?

If your cholesterol or blood pressure readings are high or borderline, you may want to try supplements before jumping on the pharmaceutical bandwagon. Many show promise in treating heart disease, are less expensive than drugs, and cause fewer side effects. Here are the top four heart-healing supplements:

Fish oil If you have heart disease, getting a beneficial dose of omega-3 fatty acids through diet alone can be difficult. For best results, choose a supplement with two key omega-3s: EPA and DHA. Dosage: 1500mg, twice daily.
Co-enzyme Q10 Every cell needs CoQ10 for energy; without it, the body loses steam. CoQ10 is especially important for anyone taking a statin, because the cholesterol-making enzyme that statins inhibit is also responsible for producing the body’s natural supply of CoQ10. Dosage: up to 300mg daily.
Magnesium Nicknamed ‘nature’s calcium-channel blocker’ because it keeps calcium from penetrating heart cells and making it work harder. Magnesium also promotes muscle relaxation and slows blood clotting. Dosage: up to 800mg daily.
Garlic Antioxidant-rich garlic makes blood platelets more slippery and therefore less likely to form clots that cause heart attack or stroke. Dosage: up to 900mg daily. Note: Garlic has natural blood-thinning properties, so if you’re already taking blood thinners, talk to your doctor before using it.