For Everyone: Fish Oil
The Research: Talk about a heartfelt endorsement: “The only dietary supplement consistently shown in randomized clinical trials to work against cardiac death is fish oil,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, assistant professor of cardiology and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. Omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, more commonly known as EPA and DHA) found in salmon, tuna, and other fish appear to increase heart health and fight cardiac death by stabilizing the heart’s electrical system. Other benefits include lowering blood pressure and triglycerides, slowing arterial plaque buildup, and easing systemic inflammation. Fish oil was more successful than statins at preventing death in heart failure patients, according to a recent Italian study. Bonus Benefits: Research shows the omega-3s in fish oil may also help lower your risk of stroke and nonlethal heart attacks, relieve anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Try It: Since most Americans don’t eat two servings of fish a week as suggested by the American Heart Association, many heart health experts recommend taking daily dietary supplements containing 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined (even if you are a fan of fish). “The main side effect is fishy burps, but storing softgels in the freezer and taking them with food can help,” Mozaffarian advises. Nearly all commercial fish oil brands are reliably safe, but check labels for the EPA and DHA amounts per serving.
For Everyone: Vitamin D
The Research: It’s suddenly one of the most popular vitamins on the planet, and for good reason: Up to 53% of us may not get enough vitamin D from sources such as direct sunlight or food (fish and fortified dairy, for example), reports the National Institutes of Health—and the current guideline of 400 IU daily has recently been dismissed by experts as insufficient. That’s because this nutrient has wide-ranging health impacts: More than 1,000 human and lab studies indicate that vitamin D not only augments calcium absorption but may also ward off breast, colorectal, ovarian, and other cancers. And getting too little vitamin D could cause premature death from heart disease, according to a recent study. “Vitamin D has really gotten the attention of the medical community,” says Michael Holick, MD, director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston University School of Medicine. Bonus Benefits: Getting more vitamin D may also lower your risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, studies have found. And not getting enough has been linked to bone, joint, and muscle pain; fibromyalgia; and osteoarthritis. Try It: Take vitamin D as dietary supplements because food and sun are rarely sufficient, particularly if you live in northern states that get little daily solar radiation during the winter. “If you take 1,000 IU a day and get 5 to 10 minutes of unblocked sun a few times a week, you’re almost guaranteed to get enough,” says Holick. Supermarket and pharmacy brands are considered safe and effective and cost pennies per pill. [pagebreak]
For People with High Cholesterol: Reducol
The Research: Plant sterol and stanol compounds in a healthy diet can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by as much as 20%—comparable to the effects of statin drugs. But the small amounts in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds aren’t always enough to provide the 2 g daily of sterols and stanols the AHA suggests for people with high cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease. Foods containing manufactured sterol/stanol blends such as Reducol can help: In one study, Reducol added to margarine lowered LDL by 15%. Fat in foods helps aid absorption of sterols and stanols, but Reducol pills may help as well (e.g., Nature Made CholestOff and Twinlab Cholesterol Success, both in 900 mg servings). “The pills aren’t as effective as food, but they can still lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10%,” says Peter Jones, PhD, director of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals at Canada’s University of Manitoba. Bonus Benefits: Initial evidence suggests that sterols and stanols may reduce the risk of breast, colon, and stomach cancers. For now, though, ask your doctor before taking Reducol for any reason other than your cholesterol. Try It: “I recommend 900 mg three times per day for high cholesterol, and then reduce the dose to 450 mg three times per day if LDL numbers are coming down,” says New York physician Fred Pescatore, MD, MPH, author of The Hamptons Diet. Pescatore puts nearly all of his patients on Reducol, even as a preventive measure (900 mg once per day in this case). Some products, such as Country Life TLC (aka CardiaBeat), now blend sterols and omega-3s into a single pill.
For People with Tummy Trouble: Culturelle
The Research: Culturelle is one of the most-researched probiotics on the planet. The only US dietary supplement containing the active culture Lacto- bacillus GG (LGG), it acts directly on the immune system and helps ward off viral illness; replaces good bacteria killed in the intestines during antibiotic therapy; and keeps harmful bacteria, fungi, parasites, and other infectious microorganisms in check (it eliminated up to 47% of traveler’s diarrhea in two studies). Culturelle survives unusually well in stomach acid to colonize the intestine and contains 10 billion live cells per dose—10 times more than most yogurts. “That’s important because probiotics can’t help keep your gut healthy if they don’t last, and few do as well as LGG,” says Jon Vanderhoof, MD, a professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. In a recent Australian trial, people who ate yogurt containing LGG cleared antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the gut in 4 weeks, while those eating yogurt without it didn’t. Bonus Benefits: Studies suggest LGG may also ease irritable bowel syndrome. Try It: Follow Culturelle’s dose instruction of one capsule per day. Refrigerating the supplement isn’t required, though doing so may increase its shelf life. As intestinal flora begins to change, side effects such as bloating and gas usually disappear in a few days. [pagebreak]
For People with Joint Pain: Pycnogenol
The Research: This French maritime pine bark extract is cited in more than 200 studies and continues to impress researchers. In two recent trials, osteoarthritis patients who took Pycnogenol for 3 months reduced their pain and stiffness by 35 to 55% and needed fewer drugs such as NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors. Pycnogenol’s efficacy is probably due to its having both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. “Pycnogenol’s compounds are especially potent, yet there aren’t really side effects,” says Sherma Zibadi, MD, a graduate research associate who studied the extract at the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health. Bonus Benefits: Pycnogenol wards off heart disease by lowering LDL and raising HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing blood pressure and risk of clotting, and controlling blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It has also reduced menstrual aches in a study, cutting days spent on pain meds in half. A new study shows it may even help fend off jet lag. Try It: Take a 50 mg tablet two or three times daily with meals. Ask your doctor before you start, especially if you’re on hypertension meds—and don’t take over 200 mg a day, Zibadi says. [pagebreak]
4 Suspect Supplements
Ask your doctor before taking any of these in pill form—you’re probably getting what you need from a healthy diet and a multivitamin. FOLIC ACID It can help prevent birth defects, but a 2007 study found that 1 mg daily (that’s more than twice the recommended levels) via supplements may raise colon cancer risk. Done having kids? Get your 400 mcg daily from most grains and cereals. VITAMIN E A 2008 study found that taking supplements of vitamin E may increase the risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers. Also, more than a dozen common prescription meds can interact with high doses of E. SELENIUM Consuming more than 400 mcg a day raises the risk of premature death, according to a Johns Hopkins University study; many selenium pills contain half this amount. Another study linked selenium to developing type 2 diabetes after 7 years of supplementation. BETA-CAROTENE Several studies indicate that taking beta-carotene supplements may increase your risk of cancer or heart disease. More from Prevention: 7 Beauty-Boosting Supplements
