Heart and blood vessel diseases, known collectively as cardiovascular diseases, are the leading cause of death in the United States. Among these, coronary heart disease — also referred to as coronary artery disease — is the most widespread. This condition arises when the arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle become restricted or clogged.

• Various natural and alternative methods have been explored to determine if they may help manage risk factors like high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Certain supplements, such as garlic and soy, might have a slight positive impact on cholesterol levels, but these effects are modest when compared to those achieved with prescribed medications. Research shows that practices such as meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga, along with supplements like garlic, omega-3 fish oil, flaxseed, and green or black tea, may contribute to minor reductions in blood pressure. However, it is important not to rely on these alternatives as substitutes for treatments recommended by your healthcare provider. Always consult with your provider before trying new health approaches.

• Supplements including garlic and soy may help lower cholesterol to a small extent, though they are not a replacement for cholesterol-lowering drugs.

• Approaches such as meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga, in combination with garlic, fish oil, flaxseed, and tea (green or black), have shown potential to mildly influence blood pressure in a positive way.

• Those diagnosed with high cholesterol or high blood pressure should follow the treatment plan given by their health provider. Alternative products or therapies should not be used as replacements without medical advice. Discuss any other approaches you are considering carefully with your provider.

• Chelation therapy using disodium EDTA has been considered by some as an alternative treatment for coronary heart disease. A major study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), called the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), found some benefits in participants with diabetes who had already suffered a heart attack. However, because this was a single study, its findings alone don’t justify the regular use of chelation therapy in such patients. Another NIH-backed study, TACT2, also tested chelation therapy among people with diabetes post-heart attack, aiming to replicate the previous study's results. This subsequent study did not confirm a benefit, indicating that chelation therapy does not reduce cardiovascular risks in patients with diabetes and a previous heart attack.

• The TACT study — a federally funded investigation — pointed to possible advantages of chelation treatment, but only in diabetic individuals with a history of heart attack. These early findings are not enough to recommend its routine use.

• In the TACT2 follow-up study, chelation therapy did not show meaningful results in decreasing cardiovascular incidents among people with diabetes who previously experienced a heart attack. As a result, the therapy is not endorsed for this purpose.

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