The American Heart Association recommends healthy people get adequate nutrients by eating a variety of foods in moderation. There is not sufficient data to suggest healthy people benefit by taking certain vitamin or mineral supplements in excess of the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). While some observational studies have suggested that certain populations who use vitamin or mineral supplements may have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, it is not clear if this is due to the supplements.
Vitamins
According to the American Heart Association, scientific evidence does not suggest that consuming antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins A, C and E, can eliminate the need to reduce blood pressure, lower blood cholesterol or stop smoking cigarettes. Antioxidant vitamins may prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol -- LDL, or "bad" cholesterol -- from producing plaques that can narrow heart arteries. Clinical trials are under way to find out whether increased vitamin antioxidant intake may have an overall benefit. Niacin is a B vitamin found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts, and eggs that also has cholesterol-lowering effects.
Herbal Supplements
Flaxseed is the seed from the plant linum usitatissimum and has been studied for effects on lowering cholesterol levels. According to the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a 2009 review of the clinical research found cholesterol-lowering effects of flaxseed were more apparent in postmenopausal women and in people with high initial cholesterol concentrations. The flowering tops of red clover plants have also been used to treat high cholesterol. Another popular cholesterol-lowering supplement is red yeast rice; although, according to MayoClinic.com, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that red yeast rice products could contain a naturally occurring form of the prescription medication known as lovastatin.
Dietary Supplements
According to the American Heart Association, patients with documented heart disease are advised to consume about 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids, preferably from fish, daily. People taking more than 3 g of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules daily should do so only under a physician's care. Artichoke, garlic and green tea extract, barley and oat bran and blond psyllium may reduce LDL cholesterol. Beta-sitosterol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Promise Activ) and sitostanol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Benecol) may also reduce LDL cholesterol.
