Vitamin D conspires with immune cells called macrophages either to keep arteries clear or to clog them.
Experimental studies suggest that optimal levels of vitamin D have beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels; however, high vitamin D concentrations have been implicated in promoting vascular calcification and arterial stiffness.
The effects of vitamin D insufficiency were observed at all stages of atherosclerotic plaque formation, destabilisation and rupture [17]. Vitamin D also affects blood extravasation at ruptured atherosclerotic plaque, which is a key element of acute coronary syndrome [17].
Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is the best agent known to raise blood levels of HDL, which helps remove cholesterol deposits from the artery walls.
High doses of vitamin D can raise blood levels of calcium (hypercalcemia), which can damage the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to high blood pressure. And some research shows that taking a vitamin D pill can help to lower it, which lowers the risk of heart attacks and stroke. It's getting clearer that having enough vitamin D in your body can help your heart.
You can “unclog” your arteries with natural methods, including diet, exercise, and stress management. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, can also help reverse plaque.
An atherectomy is a procedure to remove plaque from an artery (blood vessel). Removing plaque makes the artery wider, so blood can flow more freely to the heart muscles. In an atherectomy, the plaque is shaved or vaporized away with tiny rotating blades or a laser on the end of a catheter (a thin, flexible tube).
Recent findings: Vitamin D exerts protective effects on atherosclerosis through multiple mechanisms. It has been shown to protect against endothelial dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and modulation of the immune system, as well as the inflammatory response.
Although you can't reverse atherosclerosis once it starts, you can prevent it with some easy lifestyle changes. Eat a balanced diet that's high in heart-healthy fruits, vegetables, and fish. Exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes a day. Stop smoking, cause that's really bad news for your arteries.
Vitamin D also can suppress vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, activation of garbage-eating macrophages and calcification formation, all of which can thicken blood vessel walls and hinder flexibility.
Vitamin C helps vitamin E work better in your body. It also improves the way your arteries work. Together, these two vitamins help protect your arteries from oxidized cholesterol. They also help your arteries relax and open up more.
A healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may help reduce your risk of developing clogged arteries. Research has shown that adding foods like cruciferous vegetables, fish, berries, olive oil, oats, onions, greens, and beans to your diet may be an effective way to prevent atherosclerosis.
There are no quick fixes for melting away plaque, but people can make key lifestyle changes to stop more of it accumulating and to improve their heart health. In serious cases, medical procedures or surgery can help to remove blockages from within the arteries.
It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation.
Increasing vitamin D intake could prove beneficial for those with congestive heart failure in several ways. A 2016 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that vitamin D supplements taken by people with chronic heart failure were associated with improved cardiac function.
Vitamin K-2 acts to prevent calcification of arteries, and it can reverse calcification after it happens. Secondly, Vitamin K-2 also uniquely activates a hormone in our bones named osteocalcin. This activation step is necessary and essential for the transfer of circulating calcium out of plasma into the bone matrix.
In summary, fish oil may reduce atherosclerosis by activating numerous nuclear receptors including PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma, by inhibiting the infiltration of macrophages and as the release of MMPs, and by preventing the weakening and rupturing of atherosclerotic plaque.