Vitamins are essential for keeping the body healthy. The American Heart Association recommends that people get vitamins from a healthy and well-balanced diet. A nutritious diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean sources of protein generally provides the daily-recommended values of vitamins. This balanced diet, in addition to not smoking, is important for keeping the heart healthy. Several research studies have shown a link between certain vitamins and heart health, although results are somewhat inconclusive.
B Vitamins
Oregon State University reports that there has been an abundance of research studying the link between high blood levels of a protein called homocysteine and heart disease. Vitamin B9, also called folic acid, B12 and B6 may promote a healthy heart by processing homocysteine to another molecule, thus reducing its level in the blood. Supplementation with these B vitamins does reduce the level of homocysteine in the blood, but the jury is still out about whether increasing intake of B vitamins can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, eating a diet rich in these vitamins will ensure you do not have a deficiency and homocysteine can be normally processed.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a type of antioxidant vitamin, meaning that it helps reduce tissue-damaging oxidation by molecules called free radicals. Vitamin C also reduces the ability of cells called monocytes from sticking to the inside of blood vessels; reducing the adherence of these cells helps prevent blood vessel disease and thus may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. These characteristics support the idea that vitamin C is a heart healthy vitamin. However, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the studies investigating whether a diet rich in vitamin C or supplementation with this vitamin can reduce the risk of heart disease is not yet conclusive.
Vitamin D
Evidence exists that vitamin D helps promote heart health, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. People with a vitamin D deficiency are more likely to have high blood pressure, which over the long-term can cause a weakened heart. However, studies investigating the role of vitamin D in maintaining normal blood pressure have had mixed results: One study showed that low vitamin D is associated with high blood pressure in people with other diseases, such as kidney disease; another study showed that taking a vitamin D supplement did not affect blood pressure in a large group of women after menopause. Thus, more research is necessary.
Vitamin E
The Office of Dietary Supplements reports that Vitamin E may reduce the risk of heart disease, as lab studies have shown that this vitamin can prevent the processing of cholesterol into a form that sticks to blood vessels, which is necessary for blood vessel disease. Vitamin E has also been shown to reduce the ability of blood to clot, which makes a heart attack less likely. Similar to studies of other vitamins, however, the results are mixed: Some studies show that vitamin E supplementation does lower heart disease risk, while others show little effect.
