Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

Chapter 5 / Vitamin Therapy and CVD 59
5 Vitamin Therapy
for Cardiovascular Disease
Wahida Karmally, PhD, RD, CDE
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ANTIOXIDANT NUTRIENTS
VITAMINS AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
Recently, much public and scientific interest has been directed toward
the role of vitamins and other nutrients in health promotion and disease
prevention. It is estimated that 40% of the US population takes vitamin
supplements (1) in varying doses to prevent or treat diseases, such as
cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. Vitamins have significant
health effects beyond preventing deficiency diseases, namely their antioxidant
functions. In this chapter, the role of vitamin therapy for CVD is
reviewed; the evidence affecting cardiovascular health is also discussed.
The vitamins included in the discussion are vitamins E, C, B 6, B 12, folic
acid, niacin, and beta-carotene.
ANTIOXIDANT NUTRIENTS
The Institute of Medicine defines a dietary antioxidant as a “substance
in foods that significantly decreases the adverse effects of reactive species,
such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, on normal physiological
function in humans” (2). There is much evidence to support that
From: Contemporary Cardiology
Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine
Edited by: R. A. Stein and M. C. Oz © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
59