| Abstract [eng] |
Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This review focuses on three supplements, selenium, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium, that have been suggested to have beneficial effects in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Methods: For this systematic literature review, multiple databases (including PubMed and Tripdatabase) were searched for randomized controlled trials that had adult patients with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases in their population. Only studies that had an intervention period of at least six months were included. The intervention was supplementation with either selenium, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, or a combination of those. The outcomes were progression of disease, severity of symptoms, B-type natriuretic peptide, exercise tolerance and cardiovascular mortality. The studies were selected following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool 2. Results: Supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 combined might significantly reduce cardiovascular mortality and reduce the increase of B-type natriuretic peptide in elderly patients, especially in those with a moderately increased B-type natriuretic peptide at baseline. Trials with coenzyme Q10 as a monotherapy in congestive heart failure had mixed results. Some studies reported significant improvements in functional status and a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, others showed no significant changes in left ventricular ejection fraction or exercise tolerance. In patients with coronary artery disease, magnesium supplementation led to a significant decrease in blood pressure. Also, it led to a significant increase in exercise tolerance, left ventricular ejection fraction and maximal oxygen consumption. For exercise induced arrhythmias and ischemia, the results were mixed. Conclusion: The results suggest that dietary supplementation may have adjunctive benefits in the management of cardiovascular disease. Combined selenium and coenzyme Q10 supplementation appears promising in reducing cardiac stress and mortality in specific patient populations, while magnesium supplementation may increase myocardial function and exercise tolerance. However, due to several limitations of existing studies, mostly a small and homogenous sample size, more multicentred trials are needed to confirm these benefits and to find an optimal dosage regime. |
