GradedHealth

Heart & Circulation

Which supplements, vitamins, foods and habits affect heart & circulation? Every claim graded by the strength of the published research.

  • Lowers heart disease risk — Multivitamins (No effect, grade A: Strong)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Salt (Benefit, grade A: Strong)
  • Prevents heart attacks and strokes — Vitamin D (No effect, grade A: Strong)
  • Improves blood vessel flow — Anthocyanins (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Raises 'good' HDL cholesterol — Beer (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers blood pressure in hypertension — Coenzyme Q10 (No effect, grade B: Moderate)
  • Reduces mortality and hospitalisation in chronic heart failure — Coenzyme Q10 (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Causes acute diuresis in caffeine-naive people or at high doses — Coffee (Mixed results, grade B: Moderate)
  • Linked to a lower risk of heart disease and heart deaths — Coffee (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Maintains normal hydration in habitual coffee drinkers — Coffee (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Linked to lower risk of heart disease — Fatty Fish (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers triglycerides — Fish Oil (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Raises the risk of irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) — Fish Oil (Harm, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Garlic (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Raises fitness (VO2max) — HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Improves cholesterol and blood fat levels — Kimchi (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Higher intake is linked to lower diabetes, stroke and heart failure risk — Magnesium (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Mediterranean Diet (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes — Mediterranean Diet (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Reduces the risk of dying from heart disease — Mediterranean Diet (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Causes heart palpitations or chest pain — Nicotine (Harm, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol — Oats (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Changes cholesterol levels — Olive Oil (No effect, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers LDL cholesterol — Psyllium Husk (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Raises cardiovascular disease risk — Red Meat (Harm, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers LDL ('bad') cholesterol — Red Yeast Rice (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers total cholesterol — Red Yeast Rice (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Reduces repeat heart attacks and heart-related deaths after a heart attack — Red Yeast Rice (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers blood pressure in chronic kidney disease — Salt (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Raises blood potassium (salt substitutes) — Salt (Harm, grade B: Moderate)
  • Salt substitutes lower blood pressure — Salt (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Salt substitutes reduce strokes, heart attacks and deaths (higher-risk adults) — Salt (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Cause inflammation — Seed Oils (No effect, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lower LDL cholesterol when they replace saturated fat — Seed Oils (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lower the risk of dying early — Seed Oils (Mixed results, grade B: Moderate)
  • Reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes — Seed Oils (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Strength Training (Benefit, grade B: Moderate)
  • Linked to lower heart attack risk — Anthocyanins (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers LDL cholesterol — Anthocyanins (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Anthocyanins (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers total cholesterol — Apple Cider Vinegar (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves exercise capacity in heart, lung and metabolic disease — Beetroot Juice (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Beetroot Juice (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves blood vessel function — Blueberries (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower heart attack risk — Blueberries (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Blueberries (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers cholesterol — Blueberries (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Breathing Exercises (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises heart rate variability — Breathing Exercises (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Causes palpitations and sleep problems in athletes — Caffeine (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises the risk of pregnancy loss — Caffeine (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Up to 400 mg a day is not linked to overt harm in healthy adults — Caffeine (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises LDL cholesterol — Carnivore Diet (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Can add to bleeding risk with warfarin — Chamomile (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Relieves statin-associated muscle symptoms — Coenzyme Q10 (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Can bring on extra heartbeats in adults — Coffee (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Fewer recurrences of atrial fibrillation in people who drink coffee — Coffee (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves blood vessel function — Dark Chocolate (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Dark Chocolate (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers cholesterol — Dark Chocolate (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Does not raise blood pressure — Eggs (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower stroke risk — Eggs (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises blood cholesterol slightly — Eggs (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Up to one egg a day is not linked to heart disease or stroke — Eggs (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of death from any cause — Fatty Fish (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of heart attack — Fatty Fish (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of stroke — Fatty Fish (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers triglycerides — Fatty Fish (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Eating fish lowers heart disease risk — Fish Oil (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers the risk of heart attacks — Fish Oil (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Prevents heart attacks, strokes and other major cardiovascular events — Fish Oil (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises the risk of serious bleeding with prescription EPA — Fish Oil (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Increases bleeding risk, especially with blood thinners or surgery — Garlic (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers total and LDL cholesterol — Garlic (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of death — Green Tea (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Green Tea (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers cholesterol — Green Tea (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves fitness more than moderate exercise — HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Helps you live longer — Intermittent Fasting (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves cholesterol levels — Intermittent Fasting (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Intermittent Fasting (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure — Isometric Exercise (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Isometric Exercise (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure more than other exercise types — Isometric Exercise (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Kimchi (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises blood pressure — Kimchi (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Magnesium (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Meditation (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels — NAD+ Supplements (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — NAD+ Supplements (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Good for your heart — Napping (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • A Mediterranean diet including nuts lowered major heart events — Nuts (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of heart disease deaths — Nuts (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers 'bad' LDL cholesterol — Nuts (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises 'good' HDL cholesterol — Nuts (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Oats (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • A Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil lowered major heart events — Olive Oil (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Better for LDL cholesterol than butter — Olive Oil (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves cholesterol more than low-polyphenol olive oil — Olive Oil (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Olive Oil (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers the risk of dying early — Olive Oil (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to a lower risk of dying — Pet Ownership (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Pet Ownership (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers heart disease risk when it replaces red meat — Poultry (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • White meat is better than red meat for cholesterol — Poultry (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises LDL ('bad') cholesterol compared with plant proteins — Red Meat (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves cholesterol levels — Red Wine (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to less heart disease — but genetic studies don't confirm it — Red Wine (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Red Wine (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Reduces inflammation — Red Wine (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Helps the heart in heart failure — Sauna (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Improves blood vessel function — Sauna (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of dying from heart disease — Sauna (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Linked to lower risk of stroke — Sauna (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Sauna (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Catch-up sleep on weekends protects the heart and lengthens life — Sleep (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Irregular sleep is linked to heart and blood sugar problems — Sleep (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Helps you live longer — Swimming (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Swimming (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Tai Chi (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Time in Nature (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises heart disease risk — Ultra-processed food (Harm, grade C: Limited)
  • Slows arterial calcification — Vitamin K2 (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Good for your heart — Whisky and Spirits (Mixed results, grade C: Limited)
  • Raises 'good' cholesterol and other heart-risk markers — Whisky and Spirits (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Lowers blood pressure — Yoga (Benefit, grade C: Limited)
  • Kefir lowers blood pressure — Yogurt and Kefir (No effect, grade C: Limited)
  • Synbiotic yogurt lowers blood pressure — Yogurt and Kefir (Benefit, grade C: Limited)

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