- because of the many antioxidants

A new Chinese study that is published in the science journal, Heart, shows that eating an egg every day can lower your risk of stroke by 26 percent. The reason is that eggs contain selenium and other powerful antioxidants that protect against atherosclerosis, and we do not get all that much selenium from our diets. Therefore, forget all about the cholesterol scare and warnings against eating eggs. That dietary advice is outdated and has done more harm than good.

There is a clear link between magnesium intake and the risk of heart diseases and sudden cardiac death in postmenopausal women, according to a study that is published in Journal of Women’s Health. Unfortunately, many women are not diagnosed with heart disease at a sufficiently early stage. It is also a fact that many postmenopausal women take calcium supplements for bone health. However, if they also lack magnesium, which is responsible for the calcium distribution in the body, the calcium supplements may instead increase the risk of coronary atherosclerosis. According to new and earlier research, we must focus a lot more on telling women how important it is to get enough magnesium at all stages of life – not least after menopause.

Seniors have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death. It is commonly known that diet plays a key role in preventing these diseases, and a team of scientists therefore decided to look closer at zincbecause of this nutrient’s many functions in the heart and cardiovascular system. The scientists found that older people often lack zinc for different reasons. Therefore, the dietary guidelines for zinc in old age should be reconsidered with regard to cardiovascular health and other zinc-dependent functions.

Life cannot exist without coenzyme Q10. The compound is necessary for the energy turnover in all our cells. It also functions as a powerful antioxidant that protects the heart and cardiovascular system against oxidative stress. Humans are able to synthesize Q10 but our endogenous production decreases with age. Heart failure patients also have reduced levels of Q10 which can be fatal, but decades of research have shown that Q10 supplements can improve quality of life and reduce mortality by close to 50 percent, according to a review article in Journal of Clinical Medicine. Here, the authors refer to 90 published articles. It is also important to get enough selenium, which helps Q10 function optimally.

Heart failure is a disease with a variety of different symptoms and a high mortality rate because the heart’s pumping function is impaired. Heart failure is also characterized by chronic inflammation that worsens the prognosis. Apparently, fish oil supplementation can reduce chronic inflammation, according to a meta-analysis that is published in Heart Failure Reviews. In fact, eating more omega-3 fatty acids from fish and different plant sources can improve survival in heart failure.

Selenium supports a host of different metabolic processes and serves as an antioxidant that protects our cells. According to recent studies, selenium also has anti-ageing properties that protect us against cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and other age-related diseases. According to a review article published in Medical News Today, selenium also helps against impaired immunity and counteracts chronic inflammation, which is typically seen in connection with ageing processes. A Swedish study of healthy seniors has even showed that supplementation with selenium and Q10 has a positive effect on heart function, quality of life, and life expectancy.

It is both healthy and life-extending to get plenty of summer sun, which is our main source of vitamin D. Just make sure not to get a sunburn. According to a large population study from University of South Australia, too little vitamin D in the blood is linked to early death, especially because of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases. This is very relevant because, apart from the lack of sunshine during winter, things like sun awareness campaigns, indoor living, being overweight, and having dark skin can contribute to the widespread lack of vitamin D. The official recommendations for vitamin D intake are also comparatively conservative. Therefore, people should strive to optimize their levels of the nutrient, as vitamin D is involved in regulating countless gene activities and other functions in the body.

Atrial fibrillation is a rhythm disturbance in the electrical system of the heart. It is also one of the most common heart disorders and can be both harmless and potentially life-threatening. Lack of vitamin D increases the risk of normal atrial fibrillation and postoperative atrial fibrillation, according to a meta-analysis that is published in the scientific journal Nutrition. Vitamin D deficiencies are rather common so it is important to make sure to get enough of the nutrient for preventing and treating this disorder.

Chronic heart failure is a potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of people worldwide. A group of scientists recently looked at the relation between chronic heart failure and zincdeficiency and how zinc supplementation can improve heart health by various accounts. The scientists also investigated why zinc deficiencies are so common. Their study is published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

It is essential that your heart is able to pump optimally throughout life. A study from Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, the United States, has just shown that a diet with low levels of vitamin K1 from dark, leafy greens increases your risk of an unhealthy enlargement of the heart’s left ventricle that pumps the oxygenated blood to the aorta (the body’s largest artery). The scientists even observed this enlargement in teenagers. Vitamin K1 is primarily known for its role in the blood coagulation process, but it is also converted to vitamin K2 in our gut flora. In fact, it is vitamin K2 that is important for the heart and cardiovascular system.

Heart failure is when the heart loses power and is no longer able to deliver blood to the different parts of the body. Typical symptoms are shortness of breath and physical exhaustion. There may also be symptoms like fluid retention, persistent coughing, chest tightness, increased sweating, or cold sensitivity. Chronic heart failure may be caused by different things, and it is a life-threatening condition. However, according to a study that is published in Journal of Clinical Investigation, magnesium supplementation can improve a type of heart failure called diastolic dysfunction. Previous studies have demonstrated that supplements of Q10 can also improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure.

Melatonin is primarily known as a sleep hormone and a powerful antioxidant. According to a new study, melatonin may even improve the condition of rats that have heart rhythm disturbances with an increased risk of heart attack. Melatonin’s ability to improve the heart function is not related to its antioxidant function, however, and that surprised the scientists behind the study. The new study was presented at an annual meeting for the American Physiological Society (APS) in Orlando. Melatonin has several vital functions, but as we age our endogenous production decreases. Not only does this affect our quality of sleep, it also has a negative impact on the heart and the body’s cells.

- with four key nutrients

Your birth attest reveals your actual age but your biological age gives a more accurate picture of your health and life expectancy. Our biological age and cardiovascular health are closely connected, with atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness representing a progressive process that eventually leads to the majority of deaths. Nonetheless, you can do a lot yourself by making sure to get sufficient amounts the nutrients that are most vital for good cardiovascular health. In this article, we will look closer at some current studies of vitamin K2, Q10, selenium, and omega-3, all of which are essential nutrients that prevent, each in their own way, atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, and premature death as a result of having high heart age.

- but ageing processes and cholesterol-lowering drugs inhibit the body’s Q10 synthesis

No matter how you twist and turn it, cholesterol is an essential substance, and we humans produce most of it ourselves. What is important is to make sure that the cholesterol we have in our blood does not oxidize, and that is something which Q10 and other antioxidants take care of. Stable blood sugar levels also help us maintain a healthy cholesterol balance.

Q10 and selenium are powerful antioxidants that are important for the heart, cardiovascular system, and the energy turnover. As we grow older, our endogenous Q10 synthesis decreases, and many people lack selenium. A Swedish study has shown that older people who take supplements of Q10 and selenium have a 50 percent lower cardiovascular death rate. Another (more recent) Swedish study shows that Q10 and selenium also increase elderly peoples’ levels of IGF-1, a hormone with many functions in the body. The scientists assume that this helps reduce the risk of cardiac death among elderly people.

Cardiovascular diseases are widespread and one of the major causes of death. The risk is increased by factors such as ageing, diabetes, and overweight. One of the underlying causes is oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Q10, which is involved in cellular energy turnover, happens to be one of the most powerful antioxidants. According to a review article that is published in the scientific journal Antioxidants, supplementation with Q10 can reduce oxidative stress and cardiovascular mortality. It can also improve quality of life and increase the chances of survival. Generally speaking, Q10 has a huge potential for anyone with a desire to remain healthy, and it is important to choose a supplement with documented quality and bioavailability.

Q10 is involved in the cellular energy turnover and it is also a powerful antioxidant that protects cells, tissues, and the cardiovascular system in several ways. Humans synthesize most of their own Q10 but the endogenous production of the compound decreases with age. Besides, certain diseases are associated with lowered endogenous coenzyme Q10 synthesis, and scientists have observed that Q10 supplementation has the potential to attenuate various symptoms linked to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Q10 can also improve the heart function in older, healthy people, thereby lowering their risk of dying of heart disease. It is difficult for the body to absorb Q10, which is why scientists emphasize the importance of using pharmaceutical-grade supplements. This topic was addressed in a review article published online by www.nutraingredients.com.

But the effect is highly dependent on which preparation you buy, as there are huge quality differences. Most consumers are not aware of this.

The groundbreaking Danish study, Q-SYMBIO, was the cover page story in media across the globe last year. It showed that supplements of a compound called Q10 could nearly halve the risk of dying from heart failure while increasing heart muscle strength substantially. The study was headed by a renowned Danish cardiologist from Copenhagen University Hospital, and the team of researchers specifically chose a Danish Q10 preparation for the simple reason that it was the only one that could document superior bio-availability. This is extremely important for the outcome of this type of research.

Q10 is a unique and wonderful coenzyme with a key function in energy turnover and a role as a powerful antioxidant. The body produces the lion’s share Q10 for its own needs but the endogenous synthesis of the compound decreases with age. Moreover, cholesterol-lowering statins and bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis disrupt the body’s Q10 synthesis. Over the past decades, numerous studies have shown that Q10 supplementation can slow down the ageing process. Q10 is also useful in connection with heart failure and several other chronic ailments that typically occur in old age. This is described in a review article that is published in Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. With Q10 supplements, it’s important to choose pharmaceutical-grade products with documented quality and bioavailability.

Q10 is a unique compound with a key role in cellular energy turnover. It also serves as a powerful antioxidant. The body is able to synthesize most of the Q10 that it needs but as we grow older, our endogenous synthesis decreases, making us vulnerable in different ways. Cholesterol-lowering medicine and certain types of disease are also associated with lower levels of Q10 in the body. In a new review article, a group of scientists have scrutinized hundreds of Q10 studies that have been published in the years 2010-2020. They are able to conclude that Q10 is of particular importance to the heart, circulatory system, fertility, muscles, eyes and vision, and the ageing process. Things like migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease are also addressed. The body has difficulty with absorbing Q10 from food and supplements so it is recommendable to always choose a pharmaceutical-grade Q10 preparation with documented bioavailability.

Over the past decades, numerous studies have linked low selenium levels in the blood to cardiovascular disease, cancer, increased risk of infection, thyroid disorders, and several other diseases. Due to the widespread problems with selenium deficiency, supplementation with this nutrient is of potential value to our general health. In a review article that is published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, the authors look at selenium’s role in connection with a host of different diseases and metabolic disorders.

Even though sun lovers have an increased risk of developing skin cancer, a recent Swedish study shows that those who sunbathe the most have a lower risk of dying of heart disease and other ailments. Therefore, be sure to get plenty of sun while you can so your body can produce generous amounts of vitamin D - but don't overdo it. Also, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement during the winter period when your body's levels of the nutrient have been depleted, as this may help you live longer.

Vitamin B1 is water-soluble and because it does not get stored in the body we depend on regular intake of the nutrient. In the 1920s, the Japanese scientist Umetaro Suzuki discovered vitamin B1 in rice shells and observed that this nutrient counteracted the classic deficiency symptom beriberi. Vitamin B1 is destroyed by alkaline substances and heating but not by freezing

Functions and importance for

• Energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism
• Normal energy levels
• Normal nervous and brain function
• Maintenance of psychological balance
• Normal muscle and heart function
• Production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and normal digestion
• Antioxidant that protects against free radicals

Lack of vitamin D is a global health problem that increases mortality rates. At this point, many studies have shown that having adequate amounts of vitamin D in the blood can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death. In a new review article that is published in Nutrients, the authors look closer at vitamin D supplementation to see if it can prevent stroke and speed up rehabilitation. It is essential that vitamin D supplements have good bioavailability so they can optimize blood levels of the nutrient.

Vitamin D plays a major role in our health. The main focus, however, is on vitamin D’s importance for bones, while many health professionals are totally unaware of the nutrient’s other essential functions. According to a review article published in Nutrients, half the global population has low vitamin D levels in the blood, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory infections like COVID-19, and early death. The authors also mention that vitamin D science is often inadequate or misleading because studies focus on supplementation rather than looking at blood levels of 25(OH)D. Consequently, trials are often made with far too small vitamin D doses or with too a short a trial period. In either case, blood levels of vitamin D fail to reach their optimum. What is more, levels of 25(OH)D in the blood should ideally be above 75 nmol/L in order to protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. Because this threshold level is higher than the official threshold levels, the scientists recommend high-dosed vitamin D levels as a way to reach an optimal nutrient status.

– and that can save lives

Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. A heart attack may cause permanent damage to the cardiac muscle and that can impair the patient’s quality of life. According to a new pre-clinical study that is published in Redox Biology, immediate treatment with vitamin Emay counteract lasting cardiac damage, and the researchers believe this could represent a new and inexpensive treatment option. Earlier studies have shown that high-dosed supplementation with pharmaceutical-grade Q10 significantly improves both quality of life and survival in patients with chronic heart failure.

The diet’s content of vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 lowers the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease by way of several mechanisms, yet there are relatively few studies that show the relation. In a Danish study that is published in Journal of the American Heart Association, scientists looked closer at how the content of the two forms vitamin K in the diet affect the risk of hospitalization linked to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. So how does vitamin K counteract atherosclerosis and how much of the nutrient do we need?

Lack of vitamin K2 increases your risk of stiff arteries and atherosclerosis, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. This was observed in two new studies, one that is published in the American Journal of Hypertension, the other in the journal Nephron. A third study that is published in Clinical Nutrition reveals that daily supplementation with vitamin K2 lowers the risk of early death caused by cardiovascular disease. Our diet used to provide substantially more vitamin K2 from fermented foods than now, and this type of food deserves a comeback. It is also important to know the difference between vitamin K1 and vitamin K2.

- even in smokers

It has been known for long that vitamin K2 is important for circulation and bone health. According to a new study, vitamin K2 also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease in smokers and other nicotine users. This is because vitamin K2 counteracts oxidative stress and atherosclerosis. The scientists stress how important vitamin K2 is for public health, including otherwise unhealthy groups such as smokers.

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death, and both diet and lifestyle are of huge importance. According to a new meta-analysis, fish oil, folic acid, and Q10 are some of nutrients with the greatest potential to lower the risk. It is important to underline that supplements are not likely to make much of a difference if the dosage is too low or if the quality of the preparations is poor.

- and provide other benefits

Zinc is a trace element that is necessary for around 300 enzymes that control the thyroid gland, fertility, the nervous system, the immune system, and a number of other functions. A team of scientists from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has found a close link between the body’s zinc status and cardiac function. Although clinical zinc deficiencies are rare, short-term subclinical zinc deficiencies are more widespread than previously thought. Even a minor zinc deficiency may affect cardiac health and the countless enzyme processes that depend on the presence of zinc. Besides, zinc is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells against oxidative stress. There are many reasons why it is important to get enough of this nutrient.