Retailers must stay current on the array of natural heart health products being offered.

Heart health is imperative to life. Unfortunately, heart disease (which includes coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke) is prevalent in this country, accounting for one out of every seven deaths, while cardiovascular disease is listed as an underlying cause of death in one out of every three deaths, according to last year’s data compiled by the American Heart Association.

More figures from the American Heart Association from 2018 include:

• Approximately 92.1 million Americans live with some form of cardiovascular disease.

• Cardiovascular disease claims more lives each year than cancer and lower respiratory disease combined.

• Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.

• Stroke accounts for one out of every 19 deaths in the United States.

It is no wonder, then, that many people of all ages are concerned about their heart health.

“Heart health is such a central key to overall good health. If we can promote healthy blood flow throughout our heart and circulatory system, all our tissues will have the oxygen and nutrients they need to effectively perform their vast and complex functions,” said Robin Rogosin, vice president of product development at Texas-based LifeSeasons.

Cardiac Concerns/Risk Factors

Heart health is a very broad category, as many other ancillary conditions are implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease.

A poor diet, lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are all risk factors in contributing to heart disease. At World of Nutrition in Nampa, ID, storeowner Kris Wear said that her customers are most concerned with blood pressure and cholesterol. And knowing your numbers—triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure—is critical, especially since some of these conditions (i.e., blood pressure) do not always provoke symptoms.

Another risk factor, one that is not immediately obvious, is elevated homocysteine levels in the blood. “There appears to be a relationship between high levels of homocysteine and artery damage, and that can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and blood clots. It’s associated with low levels of vitamins B6, B12 and folate,” said Matthew Supkoff, director of sales & marketing with California-based SuperiorSource.

Cheryl Myers, chief of scientific affairs and education at EuroPharma, based in Wisconsin, said that high blood sugar is another factor that is complicit in many forms of heart disease. “Consumers are starting to understand that it is carbohydrates and not fats that are the major culprit in the inflammation and oxidative stress that creates most heart disease,” she said.

Natural Products and Ingredients

If any of their blood pressure, cholesterol, and/or triglycerides numbers is elevated, many people take prescriptions drugs to help bring then down into a normal range. Still, a number of people are turning to natural supplements to help control some of these factors, either as a supplement to prescription drugs, an alternative to drugs, or as a preventative measure.

Many ingredients have been studied for supporting blood pressure and cholesterol, which directly impacts heart health. These include omega-3, plant sterols and polyphenols (such as those found in grape seed extract and green tea extract), hawthorne and CoQ10.

At her Idaho store, Wear said she carries a selection of heart-health products, including omega-3s, enzymes, antioxidants, CoQ10, red yeast rice and resveratrol, to name a few.

“Ingredients that aren’t new, but are getting greater recognition for the role they play in cardiovascular health/arterial health, include vitamin D-3, MK-7 (vitamin K-2), resveratrol, curcumin and lycopene,” said Jim Ritcheske, product marketing manager for NOW, an Illinois manufacturer.

Some manufacturers curate a careful formulation of the most widely studied ingredients to incorporate into one supplement.

“Rather than many bottles with single ingredients, formulas that contain thoughtfully combined tried-and-true ingredients in active potencies, provide a simplified, one-stop solution,” noted Rogosin.

In fact, one of the first products developed by LifeSeasons addressed heart health. The company currently makes four heart health related products. These include B/P Stabili-T, which supports blood pressure; Choles-T to support healthy cholesterol and triglycerides (a company bestseller); Healthy Aging, a super food/antioxidant formula; and the company’s newest formulation, Circulari-T, which supports the blood vessels. Key ingredients include extracts of such herbs as butcher’s broom, horse chestnut, grape seed, Ginkgo biloba and cayenne. LifeSeason’s other products contain a combination of such herbs as ashwagandha, hawthorn berry and red yeast rice.

“We might even categorize LifeSeasons Visibili-T as a heart health product, because eyes are so dependent on an optimal cardiovascular system, and we include circulation-enhancing ingredients in Visibili-T, as well,” explained Rogosin.

Moreover, Rogosin said that Choles-T is their bestselling supplement because “… people can readily measure their improvement, which motivates them to stick with Choles-T,” she continued.

NOW has 85 products that support cardiovascular health, including 27 omega-3 fish oils and 20 CoQ10 SKUs. Other products support healthy vein function, blood flow and vascular integrity. “There are various formulas offering different ingredients with the same health goal so that the consumer has options in case a specific formula fails to deliver the desired health outcome. Not everyone gets the same results from a specific supplement, so having options is key,” said Ritcheske.

One of the company’s newest heart-support products is one that combines krill oil and CoQ10. “These two ingredients create a powerful combination with the well-known benefits of omega-3, which are phospholipid bound from the krill oil, plus the heart supporting benefits of CoQ10 through its effect on cellular energy production,” he said.

SuperiorSource manufactures MicroLingual Instant Dissolve Tablets, a product that combines vitamins B12 and B6 with folic acid/metholfolate. These three B vitamins have been shown in numerous studies to help lower homocysteine levels.

“Additionally, we make a standalone methylfolate 1,000 mcg, the active form of folic acid. This form is favored by individuals who have difficulty converting folic acid to methylfolate in the body,” said Supkoff.

EuroPharma has a number of supplements that address such aspects of cardiovascular as blood pressure and arterial strength. Some of these products include:

• Clinical OPC Heart: a targeted formula that features French Grape Seed VX1 and combines it with pomegranate fruit extract, vitamin B6 (in the P5P form for better utilization by the body), benfotiamine, and magnesium;

• Artery Strong includes vitamin A, D3, and K2 to build elasticity and strength in blood vessels and arterial walls;

• Blood Pressure Health delivers French grape seed VX1 along with clinically studied olive leaf extract to help keep blood pressure numbers on track;

• Healthy Arteries provides mesoglycan to deliver the building blocks for strong arteries and blood vessels throughout the body;

• Sucontral-D a clinically studied extract of Hintonia latiflora for healthy blood sugar balance and insulin function;

• Vectomega an exclusive product only available from Terry Naturally that provides omega-3s, phospholipids, and peptides in just one capsule or tablet per day for heart, brain and eye health. It is a unique supplement that supplies a wide range of nutrients that can’t be matched by krill or fish oil.

“One of the biggest changes in the heart health category is the recognition of role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. It wasn’t that long ago when we typically discussed inflammation and arthritis or muscle pain (and maybe neurological health). Now this has changed, and rightly so,” said Myers. To that end, the company also manufactures CuraMed, which supports a healthy inflammation response with curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil. Myers added she thinks that, in the near future, curcumin will be a “go-to” compound for anyone with heart concerns.

The ingredients in these formulations are based on research studies. For example, EuroPharma uses a tannin-free grape seed extract with greatly improved absorbability that helps the valuable compounds in grape seed live up to their potential, said Myers, adding, “And there is a lot of potential. That’s because effective grape seed extracts address so many of the concerns that lead to heart disease: they reduce high blood pressure, protect the blood vessel walls from free radical damage, and prevent the dangerous oxidation of LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol.”

California-based Wakunaga manufactures products that contain aged garlic extract (AGE), an ingredient that has been the subject of more than 800 published studies and peer-reviewed scientific papers, reported Jay Levy, director of sales. “Numerous studies indicate that AGE helps reduce a number of risk factors for cardiovascular disease including elevated cholesterol levels, hypertension, and arterial calcification. These benefits are largely due to the active and stable component S-allylcysteine, which allows standardization of dosage. This aging conversion also eliminates odor-causing components, resulting in a truly odorless AGE,” he explained.

Wakunga manufactures at least 10 products under the Kyolic name. The company’s bestseller is Kyolic Formula 100 Cardiovascular, which provides 600 mg of AGE per serving and is made with organizally grown garlic that is naturally aged.

Because cardiovascular issues are often multifactorial, the Texas-based manufacturer Bluebonnet concentrates in several subcategories when it comes to products for heart health. These include products to support levels in the areas of lipid (cholesterol), blood pressure, trigylicerides and homocysteine.

A bestselling supplement is CholesterRice Red Yeast Complex Vegetable Capsure, which is a combination of red yeast rice, plant sterols, panthethine, trans-isomer coenzyme 10 and sugarcane wax-derived policosanol.

A recent formulation is Targeted Choice Blood Presure support, a blend of extracts, vitamins and minerals that helps maintain blood pressure levels already within normal range.

One newer ingredient in the product is OPtain120, which contains pumpkin and onion. Jennifer Weinhardt, BS, MS, senior research & development specialist for the company, elaborated, “Since ancient times, people have used onions for boosting stamina and general health in India, Middle East and Europe, and its efficacies were also documented in numerous thesis papers. According to these thesis papers, the most promising effect of onion is that it helped with blood sugar support as well as cardiac and cerebrovascular health. Plus, pumpkin that is grown in Hokkaido, Japan is known to contain some of the most effective ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibitory properties of any vegetable, thus helping to lower blood pressure. The combination of these two extracts enhances the ACE inhibitory activity and is proven to work together for maximum benefits.”

The Market for Heart Health Supplements

Maintaining heart health and engaging in preventative measures, such as healthy diets and regular exercise, is not just for middle-aged and older folks.

“As more research reveals how preventable heart disease may be, younger people are taking a more proactive approach to their heart health,” said Rogosin.

Still, said Ritcheske, Baby Boomers are the primary target consumer and have been the key to this category’s growth. “The market for heart health is strong, but to maintain the upward trend there needs to be a bigger demographic base,” he said.

Levy said that cardiovascular health is a core area of consumer health investment. “According to a Gallup study, 40 percent of consumer’s purchases are to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels and 38 percent are to prevent general heart disease,” he said. He also referred to a new research report that concluded there is a favorable outlook toward the supplement market, spurred on by the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.

“The consumer demand is strong because the need for natural heart health products is strong,” added Myers. “Whether someone is concerned about having a family history of cardiovascular problems and they want to be proactive with nutrients, or they are putting together a regimen in reaction to a heart-related issue, I think there will always be a need for natural support.”

Another factor impacting the market is the unpleasant side effects that some prescription drugs can have on users, said Wear.

Myers agreed, stating, “I believe that a growing awareness of the dangers and limitations of statin drugs, along with a better public acceptance of impactful, clinical-strength nutrients has certainly opened up a wider marketplace. Of course, the need for heart health is always great, so there’s a bit of an evergreen aspect to the category as well.”

Also impacting the market are today’s savvy consumers, who are educating themselves about how dietary supplements can benefit their cardiovascular health and overall wellness.

Supporting Retail Sales: Education

Having an innate understanding of the ingredients in the products retailers sell is crucial.

Retailers who stock heart-related products often rely on manufacturers for information about what’s in the products and what makes them effective so that they can pass this information along to the end consumer. Companies like LifeSeasons, for example, provide informative literature samples to distribute to customers.

“One of the best things that retailers can do is to stay current on the latest heart-related nutrient research and continue to be a resource for their clients in that arena,” said Myers, whose company, EuroPharma, provides product webinars for store staff as well as in-store presentations. She also suggested that retailers host guest speakers who are experts on heart health, along with a buffet of heart-smart foods.

Knowing that supplementation is just one of the ways to prevent cardiovascular-related issues, Wakunaga also provides guide booklets, web content, articles, and the like, to get the message across to consumers how important heart-healthy diet and exercise is to maintain heart health. The company also participates in store health fairs and promotions.

“The biggest challenge is making sure we don’t sell them something that will be contraindicated with any prescriptions they are taking. The best resolution is to ask them questions about their prescriptions and what they are trying to accomplish,” said Wear. She said that most of her suppliers have handouts to pass along to customers that provide information about safety of the product as well as the cardio benefits.

When it comes to merchandising heart health-related supplements in retail stores, Rogosin advised, “Think from your customer’s perspective. Avoid over-skuing your heart health sections with too many single nutrient products, which may lead a customer to feel overwhelmed and uncertain. Group like products together, so they can be compared easily. Use floor displays to highlight and feature products off-shelf, and to display products thematically.”

At her store, Wear has a specific heart health section in the store all year long.

“For February, we have a heart health class and do an end cap for all cardio specific products,” she said. VR

For More Information:

Bluebonnet Nutrition, www.bluebonnetnutrition.com
EuroPharma, www.europharmausa.com
LifeSeasons, https://lifeseasons.com
NOW, www.nowfoods.com
Superior Source, https://superiorsourcevitamins.com
Wakunaga, www.kyolic.com

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