High-dose vitamin B1 supplementation essential in patients with chronic heart failure

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary Conventional heart failure drugs lead to increased excretion of vitamin B1 (thiamine), thereby inducing thiamine deficiency and further compromising heart function. Scientists at the university hospital of Bern, Switzerland, evaluated the effect of high-dose thiamine supplementation in heart failure patients. Patients with impaired heart pumping who took conventional drugs for chronic heart failure received…

L-Carnitine improves efficacy of conventional heart failure therapy in children

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary This study investigated the effect of L-carnitine supplementation in children with dilated cardiomyopathy, a severe cardiovascular disease manifesting in chronic heart failure. 29 children were involved in this study. Children in the experimental group were administered 50-100 mg/kg/day oral L-carnitine (19 children) in addition to conventional treatment. Heart function was determined after 1, 3,…

Curcumin is effective in the treatment of heart failure

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary This Japanese study investigated whether curcumin can be used to treat heart failure. The study, conducted on animal models, found that curcumin administration resulted in improved systolic function. (The term systole describes the part of the cardiac cycle during which some chambers of the heart muscle contract after refilling with blood.) Furthermore, the increase…

Intravenous iron supplementation improves symptoms of heart failure

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the benefit and safety of long-term intravenous iron administration in patients with heart failure. For this purpose, 152 heart failure patients with iron deficiency received a daily intravenous iron supplement for one year. The treatment led to long-term improvements in the patients’ functional capacity (ability…

Dietary supplement can improve pumping function of the heart

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary In a randomized clinical trial involving patients suffering from chronic heart failure, the effect of dietary supplements containing a vitamin-mineral combination was investigated. The study was carried out at the Charité Clinic in Berlin and showed that the pumping function of the heart (left ventricular ejection fraction) was significantly improved by the dietary supplement.…

Coenzyme Q10 supplements can reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease

Heart failure (cardiomyopathy)

Summary Another randomized double-blind study was conducted as part of an international collaboration between the universities of Copenhagen, Melbourne, Vienna, Warsaw and other hospitals. The study included 420 patients and investigated the influence of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on the progression of chronic heart failure over a period of 2 years. According to the researchers, coenzyme…