When we think of heart attacks, we think of ambulances and hospitals and stents. We don’t generally associate natural medicine with helping heart attack patients. But that is wrong! Holistic doctors can help heart attack patients recover…help them prevent second heart attacks…and assist patients several months after a heart attack to make the transition from pharmaceutical medications. Here, Mark Stengler, NMD, founder and medical director of the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California, explains how he helps patients who have had heart attacks…

FIRST STEPS

Several nutrients help patients immediately after a heart attack. The four nutrients below can help anyone who has had a heart attack or is at risk for one. People who are not at risk but who want to prevent a heart attack can take the first two supplements. Except as noted, most of these nutrients are safe to take with other medications and there are no side effects. They all are available at health-food stores. Since every patient is different, it’s important that you check with your own holistic or naturopathic doctor about the dosage of these supplements that is right for you.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Heart cells cannot produce energy without CoQ10. This nutrient has been found to reduce the risk for subsequent cardiac events, which usually are increased in people who have had a heart attack. A typical dose is 100 milligrams (mg)—and optimally 300 mg—daily of CoQ10 with food. Caution: CoQ10 may interfere with some blood-thinning and blood pressure medications (and heart attack patients often are on both), so take CoQ10 only while supervised by a physician.

Magnesium. This mineral enables the heart to manufacture enough energy to beat properly. It also contributes to blood clot prevention. A typical dose is 200 mg of supplemental magnesium glycinate twice daily for long-term heart protection.

L-carnitine. This supplement helps to fuel heart cells. Studies have found that L-carnitine minimizes damage to heart cells after a heart attack by strengthening the heart muscle and can reduce the likelihood of a repeat heart attack. It is recommended that you take L-carnitine in combination with CoQ10. Together, these supplements can maintain normal heart energy levels. Most people take 2,000 mg of L-carnitine daily, which helps strengthen the heart.

D-ribose. During a heart attack, heart muscle cells are deprived of oxygen, and afterward they require large amounts of energy to repair damaged tissue and restore blood flow. D-ribose helps to generate energy in heart cells. A typical dose for heart attack patients is 5 grams two to three times daily.

TRANSITIONING FROM DRUGS

Holistic doctors can help heart attack patients switch from the drugs that they were given after a heart attack to natural treatments that work as effectively. Depending on the patient’s health, this transition might begin about four months to a year after a heart attack. Important: Work with your cardiologist and a holistic doctor to make this transition. Do not do it on your own.

Drugs to transition from…

Statins. Statin drugs often are prescribed to protect against vascular inflammation immediately following a heart attack. If you use statins, you should take CoQ10 (see doses above) because statins deplete CoQ10. They also can have dangerous side effects, such as muscle pain and damage.

Blood-thinning therapies. Anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin) often are prescribed after a heart attack to prevent blood clots. But these medications have dangerous side effects, including hemorrhage, that natural anticoagulants do not have. About six months after a heart attack, patients often are able to switch to a natural blood thinner, such as one of the following natural anticoagulants…

Omega-3s. Fish oils are rich in the two key omega-3 fats, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The omega-3s are mild blood thinners, and they reduce inflammation—now considered a fundamental cause of heart disease. A typical dose is up to 3,000 mg daily of combined DHA and EPA for people who have had a heart attack. If you continue to take blood-thinning medication, you can take low-dose fish oil (1,000 mg daily of combined DHA and EPA).

Nattokinase. This enzyme, found in a fermented Japanese soy food called natto, has impressive clot-busting benefits. In a study published in Nutrition Research, doctors reported that taking 4,000 fibrin units (FU) daily of nattokinase for two months significantly reduced blood levels of several clotting factors. Don’t take nattokinase if you are taking blood-thinning medication.

Transitioning from drugs has helped many of my patients who have had heart attacks resume normal lives. If you have had a heart attack, talk to a holistic doctor.