3 Overlooked Nutrients for Heart Health
When it comes to heart health, most of us focus on fiber and omega-3s—but there are other important nutrients that don’t get as much attention. These lesser-known nutrients can play a big role in keeping your heart strong and healthy. Let’s take a closer look at three of them.
✨ Vitamin K2: The Calcium Traffic Controller
Think of vitamin K2 as your body’s calcium traffic director. It ensures calcium goes where it belongs—like your bones—and keeps it out of places it shouldn’t be, like your arteries. This process helps reduce the risk of arterial calcification, a condition that can increase the risk of heart disease.
Where to find it:
Fermented foods (especially natto, a traditional Japanese dish)
Hard cheeses
Egg yolks
For postmenopausal women, I often recommend Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2 for heart health.
✨ Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): The Heart’s Energy Booster
Your heart is always working—day and night—and CoQ10 plays a crucial role in keeping it energized. This powerful antioxidant supports energy production in your heart cells and protects them from oxidative damage.
If you’re taking statin medications to manage cholesterol, CoQ10 is particularly important. Statins can deplete your body’s CoQ10 levels, so supplementing may be necessary.
Where to find it:
Fatty fish (like mackerel and salmon)
Organ meats (like liver and heart)
You can supplement CoQ10, I recommend CoQ 10 Ubiquinol - the bioactive form of CoQ10.
✨ Magnesium: The Great Relaxer
Magnesium is sometimes called “the great relaxer” because of its calming effects on the body. For your heart, it helps by relaxing blood vessels, supporting healthy blood pressure, and promoting a steady heartbeat.
Where to find it:
Leafy greens (like spinach and kale)
Nuts and seeds (like almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds)
Dark chocolate (yes, chocolate!)
For heart health, I recommend Magnesium Complex, which contains highly-available forms of magnesium glycinate and malate.
Should You Supplement?
While these nutrients are available in food, it’s not always easy to get enough from diet alone. That’s where supplements can come in handy, but they’re not one-size-fits-all. Nutritional needs vary, and supplements can interact with medications or other nutrients.
That’s why working with a qualified practitioner is essential. Together, you can determine what’s right for your unique needs and ensure you’re giving your heart the care it deserves.
Are you ready to learn more about your health? I can help! As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I can help you “think outside of the box and dig deeper with a variety of laboratory testing to help uncover your unique cardiovascular risk factors, underlying root causes of your symptoms, and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to get started!