Private MD News

Antioxidants improve heart health

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Supplementing a diet with antioxidants may help individuals improve their next cholesterol test results, as a new study has found that the nutrients can increase HDL, or "good cholesterol," and lower blood pressure.

The study, which was published in the current issue of Nutrition and Metabolism, randomly assigned participants to receive either supplements containing vitamin C, vitamin D, coenzyme Q10 and selenium or placebos.

Researchers found that the group taking the antioxidant supplements had better artery elasticity, an important measure of heart health. They were also able to improve their scores on cholesterol tests.

Reuven Zimlichman, who led the investigation, said that antioxidants could play an important, natural role in helping individuals with elevated risk for heart disease keep their condition under control.

"The findings of the present study justify investigating the overall clinical impact of antioxidant treatment in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors," he said.

If future research bears out these results, antioxidants could come to play an important role in the prevention of heart disease, which kills more individuals each year than any other medical condition.