Vitamins for Heart Health

Everyone knows that for a healthy heart, vitamins can help a great deal. A healthy, balanced diet is important of course but food must be supplemented with vitamins to keep your heart healthy and strong. Problems can occur later in life if the right vitamins and nutrients aren't consumed.

Most people think of vitamin E as the most important vitamin for maintaining a healthy heart. Vitamin E stops cholesterol from damaging arteries that surround the heart. When cholesterol oxidizes it sticks to the walls of the large arteries to the heart and can block them from blood circulation. This is the cause of heart attacks and other very serious heart diseases.

Vitamin E in Your Diet

Most doctors recommend vitamin E supplements to preserve heart health.  They may also suggest that you eat foods that are naturally rich in vitamin E.  For example, nuts have high amounts of vitamin E, and most of them taste great.  Other foods contain vitamin E as well, but nuts have the highest amounts.

Research has shown that Vitamin E can help those who have already suffered the fury of a heart attack.  Vitamin E also helps prevent future heart attacks by opening up the arteries and eliminating blockages.  People who have had a heart attack in the past are always encouraged to add more vitamin E to their diet.

Vitamin C

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that you can use vitamin C to boost the effects of vitamin E.  Vitamin C is an antioxidant that prevents the damaging effects that cholesterol has on the body.  Along with preventing cholesterol from damaging the body, vitamin C also helps the body absorb vitamin E which will protect your arteries and your heart.

Vitamin C and E taken together will help you to be well on your way to a healthier heart. This is the most convenient way that you can be sure you aren’t damaging your heart, especially if you have had a heart attack in the past.  If you have a family history of heart disease, these vitamins are crucial to your health. Consuming these heart healthy vitamins will give you peace of mind whether or not you are considered high risk for heart problems.

The dosage will vary for one person to the next but most commonly 400 international units (IU) of vitamins
E and C are the recommended amounts for most people. Vitamin C can be taken safely in large doses. 500 mg twice a day can protect your heart from damage.