Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia

Supplements for heart health: what the human evidence shows

19 supplements in our encyclopedia have at least one graded human outcome for heart health. Each row shows the strongest one, ranked by grade and then by the number of people studied. A high grade means the research is solid, not that the effect is large: open the row for the size of the effect and the dose tested.

Strongest evidence per supplement

Supplements with graded human evidence for heart health, strongest first
SupplementStrongest outcomeGradeStudy
Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil)Irregular heart rhythm riskWorsenedForm tested: marine omega-3 fatty acids (formulation varied by trial)Grade Ameta-analysis · n = 81,210 · 20215 graded rows for this goal
Calcium (carbonate vs citrate)Blood pressure in people with normal blood pressureWorsenedForm tested: calcium supplementation or fortificationGrade Asystematic-review · n = 3,048 · 20152 graded rows for this goal
Folate (methylfolate vs folic acid)Blood homocysteine by folic acid doseWorsenedForm tested: folic acid (with or without B12 or B6)Grade Ameta-analysis · n = 2,596 · 20052 graded rows for this goal
MagnesiumBlood pressureImprovedForm tested: Various oral formsGrade Ameta-analysis · n = 2,028 · 20162 graded rows for this goal
Magnesium glycinateBlood pressureImprovedForm tested: Various oral formsGrade Ameta-analysis · n = 2,028 · 2016
PsylliumLDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apoBWorsenedForm tested: Psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiberGrade Ameta-analysis · n = 1,924 · 20182 graded rows for this goal
Berberine (vs dihydroberberine)TriglyceridesImprovedForm tested: berberineGrade Ameta-analysis · n = 1,661 · 20232 graded rows for this goal
Potassium (chloride vs citrate vs gluconate)Blood pressure in adults not on blood-pressure medicinesWorsenedForm tested: potassium supplements (mostly potassium chloride, per ODS)Grade Ameta-analysis · n = 917 · 20153 graded rows for this goal
QuercetinSystolic and diastolic blood pressureWorsenedForm tested: QuercetinGrade Ameta-analysis · n = 841 · 2022
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal)Systolic blood pressureWorsenedForm tested: vitamin C aloneGrade Bmeta-analysis · n = 890 · 2023
ProbioticsTotal and LDL cholesterolWorsenedForm tested: Various live-bacteria probiotic products (no prebiotics); strains variedGrade Cmeta-analysis · n = 1,624 · 2015
Vitamin K2 (MK-7 vs MK-4)Coronary artery calcium score progression (any vitamin K form)ImprovedForm tested: vitamin K (forms not specified in abstract)Grade Cmeta-analysis · n = 1,533 · 20232 graded rows for this goal
CoQ10 (ubiquinol vs ubiquinone)Muscle symptoms in statin usersMixedForm tested: CoQ10 (form not specified in abstract)Grade Cmeta-analysis · n = 575 · 20183 graded rows for this goal
FenugreekBlood lipids (total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL)WorsenedForm tested: Fenugreek (preparations varied by trial)Grade Cmeta-analysis · n = 560 · 20202 graded rows for this goal
Selenium (selenomethionine vs selenite)Total and non-HDL cholesterolWorsenedForm tested: high-selenium yeastGrade CRCT · n = 394 · 2011
ResveratrolBlood pressureMixedForm tested: ResveratrolGrade Cmeta-analysis · n = 247 · 2015
Magnesium citrateArterial stiffness and blood pressureNo effectForm tested: magnesium citrate (vs oxide, sulfate)Grade CRCT · n = 164 · 2022
Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin)Major vascular events with homocysteine-lowering B vitaminsNo effectForm tested: vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and/or B12, alone or combinedNo effectmeta-analysis · n = 71,422 · 2017
Vitamin E (natural d-alpha vs synthetic dl-alpha tocopherol)Major heart and blood-vessel events in healthy women (WHS)No effectForm tested: natural-source vitamin ENo effectRCT · n = 39,876 · 20053 graded rows for this goal

Grades follow our methodology. A “no effect” grade means good trials found no benefit. Amounts in trials are what was studied, not advice for you.

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Educational information only, not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.