Natural Remedies For The Prevention Of Heart Disease - Is There Any Evidence of Benefit?
By Doug Bremner MD

A natural product that has been promoted for heart disease is soy. This is a vegetable protein present in tofu that is widely consumed in Asia. Health food stores sell soy as a supplement for the prevention of heart disease. Studies have found that replacement of animal fat by soy results in a reduction of LDL cholesterol of 13% (Anderson et al 1995). If you want to reduce your intake of animal fat, soy represents a good alternative source of protein, in addition to legumes (beans). The effects of soy, however, are probably related to the reduction in animal fat intake, rather than any specific effects of the soy itself.

Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme that occurs naturally in the body that is involved in energy transfer in the mitochondria. Since coenzyme Q10 decreases naturally with aging, and since the risk of heart disease increases with aging, this has led to the conclusion that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 will prevent heart disease, or prevent recurrence of a heart attack. Studies of coenzyme Q10, however, have shown only some modest changes in measures of cardiovascular function that were not directly related to clinical function. No studies have shown clinical improvement related to heart disease treatment or prevention with coenzyme Q10.

Cholestin is an ancient remedy that has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries for treatment of heart problems. It is derived from yeast on red rice, and is called red rice yeast extract. This extract has eight statin compounds that are HMG coenzymeA reductase inhibitors, just like statins. They have been shown to reduce cholesterol, because they are chemically identical to statins; they therefore have the same risks as the statins.

Fenugreek is a dried seed that contains fiber and steroid saponins that decrease glucose levels and cholesterol as demonstrated by clinical trials. Gugulipid (Guggul gum) is a natural product from India that has also been shown to reduce cholesterol. None of these products have been assessed for their ability to prevent or treat heart disease.

Green tea has been promoted for its beneficial effects on heart health and other areas. In the Ohsaki National Health Insurance Cohort Study, a study of 40,530 Japanese adults age 40-79 followed over 11 years, green tea consumption was associated with a reduced risk of death and death related to cardiovascular disease (Kuriyama et al 2006). I am not ready to accept the results of this study because people who drink green tea may be more health conscious in general, and this may bias the results of the study. A double blind randomized trial of green tea is needed.

Overall, no herbs or supplements have clearly been shown to be better than prescription meds in preventing heart attacks. And the best prevention is from diet and exercise, which is twice as good as any herb or supplement, or prescription drug for that matter.

Anderson JW, Johnstone BM, Cook-Newell ME (1995): Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids. New England Journal of Medicine 333:276-282.

Kuriyama S, Shimazu T, Ohmori K, et al (2006): Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in Japan: The Ohsaki Study. Journal of the American Medical Association 296:1255-1265.

Learn more about alternatives to medications and hidden risks of prescription medications in 'Before You Take That Pill: Why the Drug Industry May be Bad for Your Health: Risks and Side Effects You Won't Find on the Label of Commonly Prescribed Drugs, Vitamins and Supplements', by researcher and physician J. Douglas Bremner, MD.

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More blog postings and articles on heart disease and cholesterol lowering drugs by Doug Bremner MD