Supplementation of Some Micronutrients May Improve CVD Outcomes

THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation of some micronutrients may reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, according to a review published in the Dec. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Peng An, Ph.D., from China Agricultural University in Beijing, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled intervention trials of micronutrients on CVD risk factors and clinical events. Data were included from 884 trials evaluating 27 types of micronutrients among 883,627 participants.

The researchers found moderate- to high-quality evidence that supplementation with n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, L-arginine, L-citrulline, folic acid, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, α-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, catechin, curcumin, flavanol, genistein, and quercetin reduced CVD risk factors. Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids reduced CVD mortality, myocardial infarction, and coronary heart disease events (relative risks, 0.93, 0.85, and 0.86, respectively). Supplementation with folic acid reduced stroke risk, while all-cause mortality events were reduced with coenzyme Q10 supplementation (relative risks, 0.84 and 0.68, respectively). Increased all-cause mortality, CVD mortality events, and stroke risk were seen with β-carotene supplementation (relative risks, 1.10, 1.12, and 1.09, respectively).

"The comprehensive evidence map presented here highlights the importance of micronutrient diversity and the balance of benefits and risks in the design of whole food-based dietary patterns to promote cardiometabolic health, which may require cultural adaptations to apply globally," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical and nutrition companies.

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