Many of you may be taking a variety of dietary supplements, so I thought sharing this article with you would be very helpful. Click on the link below for the complete article from Consumer Reports.

“Popping vitamin, mineral, or other dietary supplements might seem like an easy way to boost heart health, but that’s usually not the case. A number of large studies over the past several years failed to find that supplements of folic acid and other B vitamins, as well as vitamins C and E, prevent heart attacks or strokes. In one study, in fact, vitamin E was linked to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

One supplement—red yeast rice—can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol almost as effectively as certain statin drugs. But that’s because it can contain a naturally occurring substance essentially identical to the prescription drug lovastatin (Altoprev, Mevacor, and generic). Unfortunately, that means it poses the same risks, too, which can be considerable, especially if you’re not being monitored by a doctor.”

See complete article including a chart of dangerous herbs and heart-drug interactions:

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/natural-health/heart-supplements/overview/index.htm