# Take care of your heart



## workinhard (Dec 19, 2003)

-Anti-oxidants: vitamin A,C,E and ALA (ALA I don't have evidence for but since it is a powerful anti-oxidant and it increases effectiveness of vitamins C&E it makes logical sense). For an explaination on why this is see (1)

-Tomatoes, specifically in regards to lowering LDL (see (2))

-Garlic (see (3))

-Selenium (found a bunch of studies for this one, none of them alone were that great though, but after looking through lots of them seems pretty solid that this can be effective)

-EFA's: olive oil, fish oil, flax seed oil (my choice would be fish oil from what I've read). These should be used in regards to HDL

-Regular cardio (I'd say at least 3 times per week to see much of a difference)

-Red Rice Yeast Extract (apparrently "It promotes HMG-CoA reductase inhibition action" to cause a positive impact on lipid profile according to Baoh over on EF, I'm trying to find more evidence though)

(1) 
Clin Excell Nurse Pract 1998 Jan;2(1):10-22 

A review of vitamins A, C, and E and their relationship to cardiovascular disease.

Brown DJ, Goodman J.

University of Florida, College of Nursing, J. Hillis Miller Health Sciences Center, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly in the form of coronary artery disease, is the leading cause of death in the United States. Research in the past 10 years links pathogenic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) modification to oxidation damage by free radicals. This review summarizes the major findings of CVD-related epidemiologic research and clinical trials conducted in the past 5 years on vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin supplementation behaviors are discussed. In prospective studies, the intake of vitamins A, C, and E has been correlated with lower mortality rates. When recent clinical trials and oxidation studies are analyzed, the weight of evidence suggests that 100-400 IU of daily vitamin E over 2 years or more may be most efficacious in reducing low-density lipoprotein oxidation and positively influencing mortality rates from CVD in primary care. Research also supports vitamin E supplementation in patients with known CAD or a history of transient ischemic attacks. Persons with diabetes or hypertension as well as smokers may benefit from supplemental vitamin C intake. Targeted antioxidant vitamin intake should be included in CVD risk assessment and primary preventive counseling efforts.

PMID: 12675072 [PubMed - in process] 


(2)
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2003;43(1):1-18 

Tomatoes and cardiovascular health.

Willcox JK, Catignani GL, Lazarus S.

Dept. of Food Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7624, USA.

Diet is believed to play a complex role in the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world. Tomatoes, the second most produced and consumed vegetable nationwide, are a rich source of lycopene, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E. The processing of tomatoes may significantly affect the bioavailability of these nutrients. Homogenization, heat treatment, and the incorporation of oil in processed tomato products leads to increased lycopene bioavailability, while some of the same processes cause significant loss of other nutrients. Nutrient content is also affected by variety and maturity. Many of these nutrients may function individually, or in concert, to protect lipoproteins and vascular cells from oxidation, the most widely accepted theory for the genesis of atherosclerosis. This hypothesis has been supported by in vitro, limited in vivo, and many epidemiological studies that associate reduced cardiovascular risk with consumption of antioxidant-rich foods. Other cardioprotective functions provided by the nutrients in tomatoes may include the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, homocysteine, platelet aggregation, and blood pressure. Because tomatoes include several nutrients associated with theoretical or proven effects and are widely consumed year round, they may be considered a valuable component of a cardioprotective diet.

PMID: 12587984 [PubMed - in process] 


(3)
Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2001 Sep;71(5):306-12

Acute and chronic toxicity study of fish oil and garlic combination.

Morcos NC, Camilo K.

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicology of oral intake of fish oil (omega-3 fatty acid) and garlic combination food supplements. These supplements were proven to have beneficial effects on the lipid profile. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the potential long-term effects of fish oil and garlic combination supplements on the biochemistry of organ structure and function. The hypothesis to be tested was that acute and chronic high-dose supplements of fish oil and garlic may not adversely affect organ histology but may influence certain metabolic activities. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out using 28 Sprague Dawley rats separated into a placebo group (16 rats) and a supplement group (12 rats). The supplement group received the ingredients in chow inserts at a dosage that was equivalent to three times the maximum safe daily dosage for fish oil and the usual daily dosage for garlic (the maximum safe daily dosage recommended by the United States Food And Drug Administration for a 70-kg human is a total of 3 g/day intake of EPA and HDA omega-3 fatty acids from conventional and dietary sources. The usual daily garlic usage is garlic powder = 1200 mg). The study was conducted over a period of 12 months with evaluations performed at baseline, 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Results confirm the expected acute triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL suppression at these higher dosages in the supplement group. Acutely and chronically, there were no differences in external appearance, level of activity, daily food consumption, blood cell count, kidney function, thyroid function, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial prothrombin time (PTT), which remained within normal ranges in the supplement group. Organ histology remained unchanged. Although during the chronic toxicity period the triglyceride and LDL suppression persisted, it was noted that total cholesterol and HDL levels increased. The increase in cholesterol and HDL in the supplement group during chronic toxicity periods is simultaneous with loss of suppression of plasma levels of other liver function marker enzymes, ALT and AST, which are not involved in cholesterol synthesis. This possibly suggests that other liver enzymes involved in cholesterol synthesis, such as HMG-co A reductase, follow a similar escape from suppression.

Publication Types: 
· Clinical Trial 
· Randomized Controlled Trial 

PMID: 11725696 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


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## jack hust (Dec 19, 2003)

great post bro


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## squatster (Mar 31, 2021)

There's so much great info on this site


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