Heart on the Line

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and approximately 600,000 Americans die of heart disease each year. Further, The Heart Foundation noted that not only do more people die of heart disease than of AIDS and all cancers combined, but by the year 2020, heart disease will be the leading cause of death throughout the world.

These figures can startle just about anyone into paying attention to the health of their heart. Couple that with the fact that Americans are now taking the time to educate themselves on healthy lifestyles, and that many are also becoming increasingly unhappy with the side effects that prescription drugs have—the heart health segment of the natural health category is expanding. “The life extension category, in general, is growing every day, as awareness of utilizing supplements instead of drugs become a more popular choice among the educated consumer,” said Pete Maletto, president and senior scientist of PTM Food Consulting, Inc. in New Jersey. “New ingredients, such as citrus bergamot, not only perform better to change cholesterol levels than statin drugs, they often do so with no side effects. While support nutrients are helpful, the response to this relatively new dietary supplement is nothing short of amazing.”