It is estimated that about 68 million Americans have some form of heart disease. Of those, 5.3 million suffer from congestive heart failure.
While scientists cannot agree on the cause of heart failure, they know a number of conditions that can lead up to it, including repeated heart attacks, uncontrolled hypertension, certain toxins, chronic inflammation, progressive atherosclerosis, and complications of certain medications.
The truly frightening thing is that while the number of heart attacks has stabilized, or even improved somewhat over the past decade, both the incidence of heart failure and the death rate associated with it have increased. For the latest information on how to protect your heart, see my report "New Heart Revelations."
Recent studies have shown that people diagnosed with heart failure have a 50 to 65 percent chance of dying from their disease within five years of the diagnosis.
Many factors can influence the onset of heart failure. They include:
• Extreme age combined with a poor diet
• Mercury exposure (vaccines, dental amalgam, contaminated fish, and atmospheric taint)
• Defect in heart valves
• Viral cardiomyopathy
• Chronic hypertension
• Repeated heart attacks
• Chronic inflammatory diseases
• Congenital heart disease
• Vitamin D-3 deficiency
Fortunately, several nutritional powerhouses can give failing hearts a boost. They include:
1. Coenzyme Q10. Also known as CoQ10, this supplement is found in all cells in the body and is critical for the generation of energy, especially in heart cells, which have to work almost constantly for a lifetime.
Studies have shown that the CoQ10 levels in the blood and heart muscle are low in patients with failing hearts, and these levels fall even further as the disease progresses.
For more than 20 years, studies have consistently shown that CoQ10 supplementation benefits heart-failure patients.
One study examined patients who had end-stage disease — that is, they were on the heart transplant waiting list. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers found most patients experienced a significant improvement.
Before using CoQ10, the average patient took up to five cardiac drugs. Amazingly, after CoQ10 therapy, 43 percent of the patients were able to stop taking up to three drugs. That is enough to give a pharmaceutical company CEO a heart attack!
Another long-term study found that 67 percent of patients taking CoQ10 showed definite clinical improvement: They were less tired, more active, and their shortness of breath while resting improved. In addition, their heart rate fell significantly (a good thing) and their enlarged heart returned to a more normal size.
When patients stopped taking CoQ10, they rapidly got worse. Returning to CoQ10 restored their improved health. For more information on how CoQ10 can extend your life, read my newsletter “Extend Your Life: 4 Supplements That Will Help You Live Longer.”
2. L-carnitine. In human studies, supplementing 472 post-heart attack patients with L-carnitine improved heart muscle function and helped prevent heart failure. It was potent in preventing dangerous arrhythmias.
A multicenter trial involving 537 patients found that propionyl L-carnitine improved exercise capacity and preserved heart function in patients with heart failure. Besides its beneficial effects on heart energy, it has antioxidant effects and prevents oxidation of heart-muscle proteins, a major mechanism in heart damage.
Patients undergoing dialysis have a heightened risk of heart failure. One study found that the reason was L-carnitine depletion and that supplements could actually reverse the condition and restore normal heart function.
3. Taurine. Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that protects against heart attack damage. It has been shown to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, lower blood pressure, prevent arrhythmias, and improve heart-muscle strength. It also plays a role in protecting the brain and in detoxification. By reducing atherosclerosis, taurine adds an additional benefit by preserving the heart’s blood flow.
For the latest information on how to prevent sudden cardiac death, see my report" Can Sudden Cardiac Death Be Prevented?"
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