We spend tens of billions of dollars each year researching heart disease—which is the leading cause of death worldwide. Yet I remain completely amazed and dismayed by the “standard” modern medical practices for managing this condition.
There are numerous doctors who specialize in treating heart disease (called cardiologists). And their clinical decisions are supposed to be based on evidence generated by the highest-quality scientific studies.
So you would think that standard cardiology procedures, practices, and treatments would also be based on top-notch research findings.
But a new study reports that only a tiny proportion of cardiology guidelines recommended by “leading” heart health organizations are based on this type of research.1
And that’s a real travesty when it comes to the “evidence-based” medicine that mainstream medicine supposedly relies on.
But it certainly explains why studies in the U.S. and Canada show that people with heart disease are healthier in locations where there are fewer cardiologists. And for emergency treatment of heart disease, other studies show outcomes are better when cardiologists are not on duty at the hospital.
Mainstream is clueless about treating heart disease in older people
As I read this new study, I thought about a major scientific statement published in 2016 in one of the leading medical journals, Circulation, revealing that there are “significant gaps in knowledge when it comes to cardiovascular care in the older adult population.”2
And yet, it’s a known fact that the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases increases as we age. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a whopping 70 percent of men and women in their 60s and 70s have some form of heart disease.
Plus, people over the age of 65 account for more than half of all cardiovascular procedures and hospitalizations, and two-thirds of all cardiovascular deaths occur in men and women age 75 and older.3
So despite a heavy emphasis on “evidence-based” medicine, it turns out there’s actually little or no real scientific evidence for medical prevention or treatment of heart disease—especially for the majority of people who actually need it.
That’s the bad news. But the good news is that the mainstream has been barking up the wrong tree when it comes to treatment and prevention of heart disease anyway.
So you’re not really missing much of anything—as long as you know what you really need to do to keep your heart healthy as you age.
I’ll share my top natural approaches for heart health in a moment. But first, let’s take a closer look at the scientific conclusions I mentioned earlier…and why mainstream medicine’s obsession with “evidence” may be all wrong, all along.
Why clinical trials aren’t useful for natural approaches to heart health
As I’ve discussed before, mainstream medical minions insist on research that meets the “gold standard” of studies. These are technically referred to as randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trials.
This means that study participants are randomly selected to represent a sample of the general population. The administered treatment is compared to a placebo control group in the same study, and both researchers and participants are blinded as to who’s getting the treatment and who’s getting the placebo.
And once the results of these “gold standard” studies are released, clinical scientific standards typically insist that such findings are replicated in subsequent studies.
This kind of clinical trial design is ideal for studying drugs. But it often isn’t useful for natural approaches, which aren’t as regimented as popping a pill.
And yet, mainstream hypocrites hyperventilate about the need for any and all natural approaches to first undergo the same repeated, controlled clinical trials before even potentially allowing them to be used for patients.
But if cardiologists would stop being blinded by drug advertisements, they would see that when it comes to dietary supplement “pills,” there are plenty of clinical trials on natural approaches to treating and preventing heart disease.
Cardiologists often ignore scientific evidence
If all of the above weren’t hypocritical enough, the study on standard cardiology practice guidelines I mentioned earlier reveals that cardiologists are woefully inept when it comes to following their own rules of evidence and standards of proof.
The study looked at the cardiology guidelines recommended by the AHA, the American College of Cardiology, and the European Society of Cardiology between 2008 and 2018.
Researchers examined 51 current guideline documents from these organizations, which included 6,329 recommendations. They found that only a measly 7.9 percent of these recommendations were supported by research from multiple randomized, clinical trials.
And if that weren’t bad enough, when the researchers compared the latest guidelines with earlier versions, the proportion that met scientific standards didn’t increase—despite another decade of research, billions of dollars devoted to studies, and countless hours and money spent by cardiologists on required continuing education courses (largely sponsored by drug companies).
So here’s my take on all of this: If only 7.9 percent of what cardiologists do is actually supported by real science, then you and I may be better off without them 92.1 percent of the time—if not always.
How “standard” cardiology practice fails older adults
My conclusion is reinforced by the scientific statement about cardiovascular care for older adults that was published in Circulation.
And I know Circulation didn’t publish the statement lightly. It has long been a leading medical journal, and in circulation, so to speak, for many years. In fact, my own very first scientific study was published in Circulation, from research I performed as a second-year medical student.
As the Circulation statement notes, clinical cardiology trials have either specifically excluded older adults, or have only admitted relatively healthy older patients with few complications or impairments related to cardiovascular disease.
This is important because aging impacts cardiovascular anatomy and physiology. There are also age-related changes in other organ systems, including the brain, kidneys, liver, and muscles, that influence the effectiveness of drugs and other heart disease treatments—and increase their risks of complications.
So, basically, research on younger people with heart disease may not even apply to older people. Meaning those tens of billions of dollars’ worth of studies may not actually be relevant to the people who need it the most.
Natural approaches deliver what you need, no matter what your age
The bottom line is that mainstream medicine doesn’t really know what it’s doing when it comes to providing cardiovascular care, especially for older people—who are at the highest risk for heart disease.
In the meantime, big pharma will continue doling out trillions of pills to treat presumed “risk factors” in healthy, younger adults—most of whom will never have a heart problem.
But if they do, it’ll most likely happen when they become much older—and the mainstream will have no guidance to offer.
But I do. My Heart Attack Prevention and Repair Protocol discusses the latest, most effective, and safest natural approaches you can take to help support heart health as you age. You can order this innovative online learning tool by clicking here or calling 1-866-747-9421 and asking for order code EOV3V602.
And in the meantime, check out my top 10 dietary supplements that, as plenty of scientific research shows, are potent protectors for your heart. After all, who needs questionable “standard” cardiology protocols when natural medicine has so much more to offer?
My top 10 supplements for heart health
To slash your risk of heart disease, you need to focus on three key factors:
- Controlling your blood pressure
- Lowering your homocysteine levels
- Stopping chronic inflammation
The following supplements can help you achieve all of these factors naturally, without dangerous statin drugs.
Vitamin D. Research shows that this vitamin may be the world’s most potent blood pressure protector. It also reduces inflammation. I recommend 10,000 IUs a day of D3, (the most bioavailable form). And some formulations even contain the marine carotenoid astaxanthin, which is loaded with antioxidants, and helps promote proper inflammatory responses in your body.
Coenzyme Q10. Several studies show that this nutrient provides energy for your heart muscles, and helps maintain healthy blood pressure. I recommend 200 mg a day.
Magnesium. This mineral is crucial for muscle and nerve function—including your heart muscles. And it relaxes your blood vessels, which means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your cardiovascular system. I recommend 400 mg a day of magnesium citrate (the most bioavailable form).
B vitamins. A meta-analysis of 12 studies including over 34,000 people found that vitamins B6, folate (B9), and B12 significantly reduced participants’ homocysteine levels.4 I recommend 30 mg of vitamin B6, 800 mcg of folate (B9), and 1,000 mcg of B12 every day.
Trimethylglycine. Also known as betaine, this amino acid has been shown in some studies to be even more powerful than folate (B9) for healthy homocysteine levels. I recommend 500 mg daily.
Ashwaganda, boswellia, and curcumin. These herbs have been shown to effectively reduce chronic inflammation. I recommend dietary supplements that include 400-500 mg a day of each of these three ingredients.
L-carnitine. A review of 13 clinical trials found that taking L-carnitine resulted in an astonishing 65 percent reduction in ventricular arrhythmias—which can lead to sudden cardiac death.5 I recommend 500 mg daily.
Fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have been shown to be effective for lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Your dose will depend on your fish intake:
If you eat fatty fish or seafood at least 3 to 5 times a week, I recommend 1-3 grams of high-quality fish oil daily. Choose a product that contains 400-950 mg of EPA fatty acids and 300-700 mg of DHA fatty acids.
If you eat fish or seafood 2 to 3 times a week, I recommend 4-5 grams per day. Choose a product that contains 1,400-1,800 mg of EPA and 1,000-1,300 mg of DHA.
If you never eat any fish or seafood, I recommend 6 grams daily. Choose a product that contains 2,000 mg of EPA and 1,500 mg of DHA.
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Sources:
1“Levels of Evidence Supporting American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology Guidelines, 2008-2018.” JAMA. 2019;321(11):1069-1080.
2“Knowledge Gaps in Cardiovascular Care of the Older Adult Population: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and American Geriatrics Society.” Circulation. 2016 May 24;133(21):2103-22.
3heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319574.pdf
4“Meta-analysis of clinical trials of folic acid, vitamin B12 and B6 supplementation on plasma homocysteine level and risk of cardiovascular disease.” Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi. 2015 Jun;43(6):554-61.
5“L-carnitine in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.” Mayo Clin Proc. 2013 Jun;88(6):544-51.