Q&A: Top Heart-Health Nutrients

What do you consider to be the most important nutrients for heart health and what are your recommended dosages for each?

There's no doubt that the combination of a healthy diet and targeted supplementation with several key nutrients is the best way to promote optimal heart health. The following are my top cardiovascular nutrient recommendations along with the minimum and maximum dosages I suggest:

• CoQ10: 100 to 200 mg to maintain heart health; 300 to 600 mg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• L-Carnitine: 400 to 800 mg to maintain heart health; 1,500 to 3,000 mg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Magnesium: 200 to 400 mg to maintain heart health; 400 to 600 mg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• D-Ribose: 5 to 10 g to maintain heart health; 5 g three times daily for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Omega-3 fats: 1,000 mg of DHA and 200 to 500 mg of EPA to maintain heart health; 1,000 to 2,000 mg DHA and 500 to 1,000 mg EPA for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Resveratrol: 30 to 100 mg to maintain heart health; 100 to 200 mg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Seanol: 720 to 1,440 mg to maintain heart health; 1,440 to 2,160 mg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Vitamin D: 2,000 to 3,000 IU to maintain heart health; 2,000 to 4,000 IU for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Vitamin E: 100 to 300 IU for women and 200 to 400 IU for men to maintain heart health; also 100 to 300 IU for women and 200 to 400 IU for men with serious heart-health concerns
• Vitamin K: 150 mcg to maintain heart health; 300 mcg for those with serious heart-health concerns
• Calcium: 500 to 750 mg for women and 200 to 500 mg for men to maintain heart health; also 500 to 750 mg for women and 200 to 500 mg for men with serious heart-health concerns