5 Best Heart Health Supplements for Women

I was diagnosed with genetically high cholesterol at a young age, so I understand how important it is to support your heart health in a variety of ways—and the critical role of heart health supplements in your overall wellness plan. But we have a reactive culture instead of a proactive culture, meaning we often don’t take action to protect our hearts and instead work to improve them once we begin to experience the effects of poor heart health, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Some even wait to take action until after they’ve experienced a cardiovascular event.

Regardless of whether or not you have symptoms of heart disease, as women, we are truly the heart of our families, yet so many of us don’t take action to protect our own hearts, leaving ourselves vulnerable to one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. I want to implore you to stop and take a few moments to consider what you’re doing to protect your heart health and how supplements for heart health could become a part of your daily health regimen, especially in light of these startling facts:

• Unhealthy blood pressure levels affect 44 percent of all American women.
• Approximately 94 million American adults currently have unhealthy cholesterol levels.
• Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from stress and anxiety.
• Studies have shown that experiencing high levels of stress can double your risk of experiencing cardiovascular problems.

In addition to eating a diet full of vitamins for heart health, you can support your heart and overall health even more by incorporating heart health supplements into your daily wellness routine.

5 Best Heart Health Supplements for Women

So, what are the best supplements for heart health? Take a look at my top recommended heart health supplements that, along with the appropriate lifestyle measures, can help improve heart health fast.

1. Citrus Bergamot 

A “superfruit” grown almost exclusively in Calabria, Italy, citrus bergamot contains a variety of benefits; however, it’s best known as one of the top heart health supplements in the world. And this is primarily due to its high polyphenol content known to support healthy cholesterol levels as well as a healthy HDL (good cholesterol) to triglyceride ratio.

This ratio is important because research has revealed that it is five times more predictive of heart attack risk than the level of LDL alone. Based on the incredible research behind this powerhouse superfruit, I chose to incorporate it into my health regimen on a regular basis after I was diagnosed with high cholesterol in my late 20s. That said, it’s important to note that not all citrus bergamot supplements are the same, and it’s important to take one that contains 500 mg of bergamot, which is the equivalent of eating one fruit.

2. Astaxanthin

After learning about the powers of citrus bergamot, you may be wondering what other supplements are best for heart health. If you’re looking to support not only your cardiovascular health but your overall health as well, I recommend including astaxanthin in your health routine as well. Here’s why: This superstar antioxidant sourced from certain seafood contains 6,000 times more antioxidant properties than vitamin C, making it a nutritional powerhouse.

As a result, astaxanthin is known to support skin health, fight inflammation, boost energy, and support heart health by supporting healthy cholesterol levels as well as triglyceride levels. Additionally, some animal studies have shown that astaxanthin may also support healthy blood pressure levels due to its ability to help reduce nitric oxide end products. 

In order to reap the benefits of astaxanthin, you’d have to eat wild-caught salmon almost daily, which is why I recommend supplementing with a high-quality naturally occurring form of astaxanthin. And because various dosing has been recommended for different concerns or goals such as brain health, cardiac health, and fighting inflammation, I like to make sure I’m getting plenty of this antioxidant daily. So, I take NAOMI Astaxanthin, which features an extra-strength 12 mg dose of pure, organic astaxanthin to provide a variety of health benefits.

3. BP Advanced

Whenever someone asks about the best heart health supplements for blood pressure, BP Advanced always makes my list. Containing only two ingredients, olive leaf extract and vitamin K2, this pure formula has been shown to support healthy blood pressure levels.

As you know, I’m a big supporter of eating a diet high in healthy fats, and olive oil is one of the healthiest fats you can consume. That’s why I utilized olive leaf in my formulation—and research has shown that consuming 500 mg of purified olive leaf extract daily for eight weeks actually improved both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Meanwhile, vitamin K2 has been shown to support both bone health and cardiovascular health by support calcium absorption in the bones. As a result, this reduces the risk of calcium deposits collecting on blood vessel walls and supports healthy blood pressure levels, meaning it could be useful for those looking for a supplement that targets plaque in the arteries.

4. CoQ10

Another one of the top supplements for heart health is CoQ10, which is a naturally-occurring antioxidant known to help energize your cells and also fight oxidative stress, specifically in your heart and brain. Interestingly, research has shown that CoQ10 levels were lower in patients diagnosed with ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy than in healthy patients. Specifically, researchers have hypothesized that CoQ10 may support cardiovascular health and therefore be one of the top recommended heart health supplements because it not only supports the heart’s energetic needs but also helps to cool inflammation associated with heart disease. 

Because CoQ10 is known to naturally deplete with age and certain medications, including those targeted to lower cholesterol, I recommend supplementing with Advanced CoQ10, which offers 200 mg of an all-natural and highly absorbable form of this incredible antioxidant.

5. Vitamin D

Finally, I want to discuss one of the best women's heart health vitamins—vitamin D. Known to support immune health, bone integrity, and even digestive health, you may be surprised to learn that vitamin D is actually one of the best heart health supplements you can take, as heart failure is often linked to a vitamin D deficiency! In fact, recent research has shown that the higher your vitamin D concentration, the lower your likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.

While vitamin D is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies affecting American women today, we have the power to change this. While vitamin D isn’t readily available in many foods, it is available in supplement form. Just make sure to look for vitamin D3 in its natural activated form (cholecalciferol) and consume a minimum of 600 IU daily, and up to 5,000 IU daily for the most immune support. 

Precautions

While the heart health supplements we’ve discussed above tend to come with minimal side effects, it’s always recommended to consult with your physician before beginning any new dietary or lifestyle changes, especially if you’re currently taking prescription medication or have a preexisting condition.

In Summary:

• Even though we are the heart of our families, so many women don’t take action to protect our own hearts before a cardiovascular even occurs, which leaves us vulnerable.

• Fortunately, in addition to eating a diet full of vitamins for heart health, you can support your heart health by incorporating certain heart health supplements into your daily wellness routine. These include citrus bergamot, astaxanthin, BP Advanced, CoQ10, and vitamin D.