Nutrient Intake And Cardiovascular Health
There are a variety of essential nutrients you need to consume on a daily basis. Fourteen of them play a role in cardiovascular health. Most vitamins and minerals help your body create red blood cells. Other nutrients have more specific roles, like supporting coagulation or blood vessel formation.
According to Harvard Health Publishing and the Food and Drug Administration, potassium and magnesium are particularly important for cardiovascular health because they help maintain normal heart rhythm. Both of these nutrients, along with sodium and vitamin D, also help regulate blood pressure.
Because so many vitamins and minerals are involved in cardiovascular health, most of them affect your heart in some way. However, it’s more likely for too much of a certain nutrient to affect your heart, rather than too little of it. Overconsumption of certain nutrients can cause issues like palpitations, arrhythmias and changes in your heart rate.
Dietary changes â even healthy ones â can also affect heart rate. For example, a March 2016 study in the journal Frontiers in Physiology found that a reduction in sodium intake reduced blood pressure while increasing heart rate.
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Heart Palpitations And Your Diet
Even if you’re not deficient in any nutrients or consuming excessive amounts of supplements, certain vitamins and minerals can still have the tendency to produce heart palpitations. In these cases, other foods and beverages can increase the levels of specific nutrients in your body. For example, the consumption of can increase your body’s calcium levels.
While collagen heart palpitations are unlikely, hypercalcemia-related palpitations are not uncommon. According to the Mayo Clinic, excessive calcium can cause fainting, arrhythmias and other heart problems. Hypercalcemia also has the potential to produce kidney, gastrointestinal and cognitive side effects.
If you are experiencing heart palpitations regularly but are consuming a relatively healthy diet, you may want to consult your nutritionist or doctor. They can assess you for abnormally high or low levels of vitamins or minerals. Some people, such as those with gastrointestinal problems or other secondary health issues, may require more nutrients than average.
Unlocking The Potential Of Vitamin C
As a powerful antioxidant, the potential role of vitamin C in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease may be attributed to its ability to neutralize harmful free radicals, and in turn reduce oxidative stress. Research has also indicated vitamin C may support human health in a wider range of ways when the intake is high enough. For example, studies show that higher levels of vitamin C may help to lower blood pressure and can also help support the regeneration of other antioxidants, including vitamin E.2,3,4,5
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C varies from country to country, with the UK suggesting 40mg a day and the US recommending 75-90mg for healthy adults. 6,7 However, many experts are in support of raising the global RDI to 200mg due to the wealth of evidence highlighting its benefits in higher doses. Emerging evidence on immune function, for example, suggest that daily intakes of 200 mg vitamin C might be advisable for the general adult population.8 More on this topic will be discussed by leading experts at the symposium Vitamin C are current recommendations sufficient? during the 21st IUNS International Congress of Nutrition, taking place in Buenos Aires from October 15th- 20th.
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How Much And What Kind Does An Adult Need
According to the National Institutes of Health , the recommended vitamin C daily allowance for adults over age 19 is:
- Men, 90 mg per day
- Women, 75 mg per day
- Pregnant women, 85 mg per day
- Breastfeeding women, 120 mg per day.
Smokers may benefit from a higher intake. Dr. Weil recommends taking 250 mg of vitamin C each day.
Best Sources Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is not made by the body we must eat it to get enough to stay healthy. And while you can take vitamin C in supplement form, the best way to increase your intake is by eating more fruits and vegetables that are rich in this healthy vitamin. Some of the best sources of vitamin C include:
Oranges and other citrus fruits: go-to sources for vitamin C benefits.
- Citrus fruits
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Serves As A Natural Diuretic
Something else to know about asparagus nutrition is that the unique chemical properties of asparagus make it act as a natural diuretic, which means asparagus promotes the production of urine. This increases the excretion of water from the body, in particular ridding the body of excess salt and fluid.
Asparagus is used along with lots of fluids as irrigation therapy to increase urine output. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema, which is the accumulation of fluids in the bodys tissues. Its also helpful for people who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.
Additionally, researchers have concluded that another benefit of asparagus nutrition is that it can be also used to treat urinary tract infections and other conditions of the urinary tract that cause pain and swelling.
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Scientific Health Benefits Of Vitamin C
A diet loaded with vitamin Crich foods such as oranges, kiwi, and peppers helps more than just the immune system.
Cameron Whitman/Stocksy
Vitamin C is one of the most talked about vitamins. The nutrient gets special buzz for its immune-boosting potential. But touting vitamin C‘s ability to shorten the common cold only scratches the surface of its role in the body.
This antioxidant isnt naturally made by the body, so its crucial to obtain it from vitamin Crich foods, according to the Mayo Clinic. Vitamin C can be found in a variety of foods, including red and green bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts, says Tamar Samuels, RDN, a cofounder of Culina Health in New York City.
Adult women need 75 milligrams of vitamin C per day, and adult men need 90 mg, according to the National Institutes of Health . Most Americans source enough of the nutrient through diet alone.
Read on to learn about seven major health benefits of vitamin C.
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Are There Any Heart
While some vitamins or supplements may help lower cholesterol or improve blood pressure things that can lead to heart disease Dr. Cho says that many of the claims when it comes to heart health may be misleading.
Supplement manufacturers do a good job selling the idea of health in general, but so-called heart health vitamins are not tested for efficacy, Dr. Cho says.
Even multivitamins that have been formulated for heart health or other conditions arent evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration .
You should always talk with your doctor if youre considering adding vitamins or supplements to your routine for any reason. While some vitamins may not be harmful, some may carry risks associated with heart function.
Vitamin C, for example, may not harm your heart and can be taken to support other aspects of your health. It doesnt offer any particular benefits for heart health, though.
On the other hand, its important to know that vitamin E can actually increase the risk of heart failure and stroke for some people. Patients who are under medical care for heart-related health issues are strongly discouraged from using vitamin E, Dr. Cho says.
Potential risks of vitamin D with calcium have also been shown. Dr. Cho says only those with very low levels should consider supplementation.
Dont take chances with your heart, and make sure to run anything by your doctor that you plan to put into your body, Dr. Cho advises.
How Much Does A Child Need
NIH recommends Adequate Intakes :
- Infants 0-6 months old, 40 mg per day
- Infants 7-12 months old, 50 mg per day.
The RDAs of vitamin C for teens and children are:
- Toddlers 1-3 years old, 15 mg per day
- Children 4-8 years old, 25 mg per day
- Children 9-13 years old, 45 mg per day
- Male teens 14-18 years old, 75 mg per day
- Female teens 14-18 years old, 65 mg per day
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What Are Antioxidants And What Do They Do
Antioxidants keep cholesterol from going through a process called oxidation. Oxidation happens when oxygen reacts with cholesterol in your blood. Oxidation causes the bad cholesterol to stick to the lining of your arteries. The oxidized cholesterol can even block your arteries, so blood can’t get through. This blocking is called atherosclerosis.
Some foods, especially fruits and vegetables, work in your body so this oxygenation process doesn’t happen. Vitamin E and vitamin C are probably the best vitamin antioxidants.
If you already have heart disease, vitamin E might reduce your risk of a future heart attack. Vitamin C helps vitamin E work better in your body. It also improves the way your arteries work. Together, these two vitamins help protect your arteries from oxidized cholesterol. They also help your arteries relax and open up more.
Its Antioxidant Properties Help Guard Against Chronic Disease
Many of the benefits of vitamin C can be traced to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants act to neutralize free radicals, which are volatile and harmful substances produced in the body that cause damage to cells and tissues, Samuels says. According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants can protect against the development of serious health conditions, such as cancer or heart disease. More studies especially ones involving human participants are needed, however, to show whether vitamin C specifically can prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease, per Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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Liposomal Vitamin C Supplements
If you are looking for ways to increase your Vitamin C blood levels, you should consider a Vitamin C supplement.
More specifically, we would highly recommend you to do more research on Liposomal Vitamin C. Liposomal Technology uses micro sized fluid filled liposomes to protect and deliver nutrients directly into the cells and tissues of the body. These liposomes are very similar to human cells, which makes it easier for them to be transported within the body. As a result, nutrient absorption is greatly increased, and there is less intestinal discomfort than with using standard oral supplements.
Clearly, Liposomal Vitamin C supplement deserves serious consideration for its potential to strengthen your cardiovascular system and heart health.
Top 10 Vitamin C Foods
Balance Out Your Salt Intake
Habitual salt intake is linked to an increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease by increasing blood pressure. Reducing your salt intake can help to decrease blood pressure and adding potassium to your diet can boost this effect. Potassium is an electrolyte that is vital for signalling to and from the heart supplementation can help to support these signalling pathways and contribute towards heart health.
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How Much Vitamin C Is Enough
Most of the studies Moyad and his colleagues examined used 500 daily milligrams of vitamin C to achieve health results. That’s much higher than the RDA of 75-90 milligrams a day for adults. So unless you can eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may need to take a dietary supplement of vitamin C to gain all the benefits, Moyad says. He suggests taking 500 milligrams a day, in addition to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables.
“It is just not practical for most people to consume the required servings of fruits and vegetables needed on a consistent basis, whereas taking a once-daily supplement is safe, effective, and easy to do,” Moyad says. He also notes that only 10% to 20% of adults get the recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Moyad says there is no real downside to taking a 500-milligram supplement, except that some types may irritate the stomach. That’s why he recommends taking a non-acidic, buffered form of the vitamin. “The safe upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 milligrams a day, and there is a great track record with strong evidence that taking 500 milligrams daily is safe,” he says.
Continued
Still, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dee Sandquist, RD, suggests doing your best to work more fruits and vegetables into your diet before taking supplements.
Heart Health Hampered By Vitamin C Supplements Study Shows
March 2, 2000 — Vitamin C supplements, long touted for their health benefits, may actually do more harm than good, says a Los Angeles researcher who tracked changes in the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.
James H. Dwyer, PhD, of the University of Southern California , found that men who took 500 mg of vitamin C had a rapid increase in thickening of the artery wall, which increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Dwyer presented his findings at an American Heart Association meeting here Thursday.
Dwyer, who is a professor of preventive medicine at Keck School of Medicine at USC, used an ultrasound to measure the thickness of the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain. This is known to be an indicator of the amount of blockage in all the blood vessels in the body, including the heart. He collected measurements from more than 570 healthy men and then measured again 18 months later. The average age of the men was 54.
A daily dose of 500 mg of vitamin C was associated with a thickening rate that was 2.5 times greater than the rate in men who didn’t use supplements, Dwyer tells WebMD. At a press conference, he said the effect was most striking among smokers. “The increase among smokers was fivefold,” says Dwyer. And he says that even men whose arteries showed no evidence of disease at the outset had evidence of thickening after 18 months if they were taking vitamin C.
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Vitamin C Supplements Dosage And Side Effects
Vitamin C can be taken in a variety of different forms such as
- Tablets
- Powder
- Capsules
The daily suggested dose to elicit the discussed health benefits is between 500-2000mg. Your body does however have an upper limit when it comes to absorption. Studies have shown that absorption decreases by 50% when taken in excess of 1,000mg. Adverse effects are possible with mega doses greater than 3,000mg including kidney stones, diarrhea, and will produce excess levels of iron in the blood. Absorption does not differ when obtained from foods or supplements. Therefore, a daily dose of 500mg is suggested for optimal absorption and strengthening immunity.
Learn How Food High In Vitamin C Benefits Heart Health By Reducing Your Risk For Heart Disease And Early Death
Vitamin C benefits include big help in keeping your heart healthy.
Although people may disagree on whether you should eat a Paleo, vegetarian, DASH, or Mediterranean diet, or any of an number of other diets, everyone can agree that we should all be eating more fruits and vegetables. Heres another reason: Research that tells us that consumption of fruits and vegetables protects against heart disease and early death. This association is likely in large part due to the many vitamin C benefits in fruits and vegetables.
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Gene Ontology Biological Function And Kyoto Encyclopedia Of Genes And Genomes Pathway Enrichment Analysis
FIGURE 6. GO BP analysis of the core targets. GO BP enrichment analysis of the three core targets was performed using R language. The bubble diagram shows the top 20 enriched BP. The x-axis represents the gene ratio and the intensities of different colors indicate the adjusted p-value. The histogram shows the top 20 enriched BP. The x-axis represents the enriched gene count and the intensities of different colors indicate the adjusted p-value.
FIGURE 7. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the core targets. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed using R language. The bubble diagram shows the top 20 enriched KEGG pathways. The x-axis represents the gene ratio and the intensities of different colors indicate the adjusted p-value. The histogram shows the top 20 enriched KEGG pathways. The x-axis represents the enriched gene count and the intensities of different colors indicate the adjusted p-value.
Magnesium Consumption And Heart Palpitations
Adults typically need to consume between 310 and 420 milligrams of magnesium each day. This nutrient can be found in a variety of fiber-rich, plant-based products. These include foods like legumes, beans, nuts and seeds. You can obtain large amounts of magnesium from foods like seaweed, hemp seeds, flax seeds, Brazil nuts and peanut products.
According to the National Institutes of Health, insufficient amounts of magnesium can result in cardiac problems like abnormal heart rhythms and coronary spasms. Magnesium deficiency also has the potential to cause hypokalemia or hypocalcemia .
Like potassium, large amounts of magnesium can also produce cardiac side effects. Excessive magnesium in your body can result in gastrointestinal issues, low blood pressure, palpitations and even heart attacks. Magnesium toxicity is rare, but when it occurs, it can result in death. You’re more likely to experience magnesium toxicity if you’ve taken magnesium-containing laxatives or antacids.
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