Poor circulation can trigger lethargy and cold skin as well as hypertension, and a number of conditions may cause it. Your physician may suggest a variety of treatments, but you can consume vitamins and other supplements to benefit blood circulation. Always seek the consent of your health care provider before including these alternative and complementary treatments in your meal plan.
Ginger
Including ginger supplements in your diet may help improve circulation. The University of Maryland Medical Center website suggests that ginger eases inflammation in your body, including your blood vessels. When blood vessels are swollen, you may experience problems with blood circulation. It has served as a home remedy for bad circulation for many years. A study published in the February 2008 issue of "Food and Chemical Toxicology" confirms ginger's anti-inflammatory effects and suggests that in improving circulation, this supplement might prevent hypertension.
Vitamin E
Include vitamin E in your diet to boost blood circulation. One form of vitamin E known as tocopherol quinone suppresses the action of vitamin K in your body -- vitamin K contributes to blood clotting, but if your blood clots too easily, this can wreak havoc with circulation. Other forms of vitamin E help your body use vitamin K appropriately, so choosing the right vitamin E supplement is important. However, all vitamin E supplements help widen your blood vessels and prevent blood clotting within vessels, which greatly improves circulation.
Anthocyanin
You can find anthocyanin in tablet or capsule form as well as in the skin of plums and grapes. This supplement improves circulation in a number of ways. When you experience inflammation in your body, enzymes are released can deteriorate the walls of capillaries and disrupt blood flow -- anthocyanin kills off the enzymes before they damage the capillaries, and it prevents blood vessel wall destruction. This compound also relaxes larger blood vessels and prevents hardening of the arteries, also boosting blood circulation.
Vitamin C
Add vitamin C supplements to your daily regimen, and you may experience better circulation of your blood. Japanese researchers reported in 2010 that vitamin C might improve blood circulation in smokers, who often suffer from bad circulation. An additional study in the 2010 issue of the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology Cardiovascular Interventions" indicates that vitamin C may have benefits for those undergoing heart surgery -- the research notes that blood circulation improved post-surgery if vitamin C was given.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Ginger; November 2008
- Herbwisdom: Ginger Root (Zingiber officinale)
- "Food and Chemical Toxicology"; Some Phytochemical, Pharmacological and Toxicological Properties of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe); B.H. Ali, et al.; February 2008
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin K; J. Higdon, Ph.D.; May 2004
- MedlinePlus; Vitamin E; February 2011
- Chiro.org; Anthocyanins; M. Sterling, R.D.; December 2001
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