Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s App of Herbs, Vitamins, and Dietary Supplements
Determining whether herbs, vitamins, and other over-the-counter dietary supplements can be helpful or harmful to you can be challenging.
Our favorite resource is the About Herbs database at the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) website.
The database is continually updated and managed by a pharmacist and a botanicals expert with assistance from other MSK Integrative Medicine Service experts.
You can search by product or by medical condition to find objective and evidence-based information about:
• traditional and proven uses
• potential benefits
• possible adverse effects
• interactions with other herbs or medicines
Download App or Use Web Version
Use the web-based service, or the About Herbs app that’s compatible with iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices and other mobile devices.
♥ Download the free About Herbs app from the iTunes App Store or
♥ Or go to the web-based version.
Your Doctor Needs to Know
If you are using a dietary supplement, keep your doctor or other healthcare professional informed. Why? The active ingredient in the product could interact with—increase or lessen—the effect of other medicines you’re taking.
A ‘Magic Pill’ to Improve Your Chances of a Long, Healthy Life
It’s not a pill, nor a medication. Magnesium is the ‘magic’ pill that improves by 34% your chances of living a long, healthy life—a mineral naturally present in many foods. Magnesium is important for anyone with a high cardiovascular risk (including patients with Atrial Fibrillation).
Insights come from researchers in Spain who carefully monitored the diets of 7,216 men and women between the ages of 55-80 (an age range more likely to develop A-Fib). 
The people in the highest third of magnesium intake (442 mg/day) were 34% less likely to have died from any cause over a five-year period. And they had a 59% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, plus a 37% reduction in cancer mortality.
Why was the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) lowered by ingesting more magnesium? …Continue reading…
Taking Supplements? How to Time Your Daily Doses
Updated November, 10, 2016
If you take several supplements (like I do), you may wonder:
“Should I take them at the same time each day? Or should I spread doses throughout the day? Should I take with meals? Or on an empty stomach?”
The best answer may depend on whether you are taking medication, on the specific supplement and/or on your personal life style.
Start with the ‘Suggested Use’
Read the supplement label. Some are fairly specific, i.e., “with or without food”, or “with food” or “on an empty stomach”; or specific time (morning or bedtime) or in divided dosages. Make notes for each supplement. Download and use this FREE form to help you keep track of everything.
Do you Have Other Medical Conditions?
If you have diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, first talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Combining supplements with prescription medications, can produce unexpected or life-threatening results.
They may offer advice specific to the combinations of your meds and supplements.
Do Some Reading, Take Some Notes
The best time to take a specific vitamin or supplement may depend on the specific supplement. Do some reading on each at the library or at a reputable website or two. Make notes of the information you find. A few examples:
• Taking a single dose multi-vitamin? It’s best to take it in the morning when nutrients are depleted and with or near breakfast so it’s broken down, then digested with the food.
• Vitamin D is best absorbed after your biggest meal, usually dinner, averaging 56 percent greater boost than those who take it without food.
• Calcium supplement, don’t take along with a multivitamin containing iron. The calcium may interfere with the iron’s absorption.
• Magnesium may be best taken in the evening, since Magnesium may support sound sleep.
Healthy Directions, Dr. David Williams
On the website Healthy Directions, Dr. David Williams offers advice about the best times to take vitamins. He lists specific vitamins and supplements and organized them into three groups, those that should be taken before meals, with meals, or in-between meals. See his article for specifics, The Best Times to Take Your Vitamins.
[Healthy Directions offers advanced nutritional supplements and guidance from highly respected integrative and alternative health doctors including Julian Whitaker, MD, Dr. David Williams, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, MD and others.]
My favorite independent research sites
For reliable, unbiased research and information on specific vitamins and supplements, we recommend these three sites (in order or preference). None of the three sell supplements (or anything else). They just offer information on vitamins, herbs, natural products and supplements.
1. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute/Integrative Medicine: “About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products”
2. Drugs.com: ‘MedFacts Natural Products Professional database’
3. The ‘Dietary Supplement Label Database’ at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Adjust for Your Life Style
You may need to adjust your supplement taking to accommodate work or school demands, family schedules, etc. For example, if you work the swing shift, your “morning” dose may need to be 1 pm, and your ‘evening’ doze may need to be at 2 am.
Or, if you often skip meals during your work day, taking equally divided doses may become erratic. So, it may be better taking your doses before you go to work.
Bottom Line: Try to be Consistent
For optimum benefit, it may take some effort to work up your supplement schedule. But you don’t have to obsess about it. Since these are ‘natural’ substances (vs. prescription drugs), you usually don’t have to be overly careful about when you take them. What’s important is do try to be consistent from day to day.
After you work out your schedule, consider using a vitamin/supplement organizer. Check out My Search for the Best 7-Day Medicine/Vitamin Organizer.
For more answers to your questions about mineral deficiencies, see our: FAQ Minerals & Supplements
For more on where to research specific vitamins and supplements see, FAQ Minerals Deficiencies: Reliable Research.
Can You Suppress Your PVCs and PACs?
Are you one of the many A-Fib patients who also have PACs and PVCs (ectopics)? Are your PACs more than just annoying? Do your PACs become more frequent and trigger an A-Fib attack?
Perhaps you’re thinking if you reduce these extra beats and palpitations, you may be able to reduce your A-Fib episodes. So, what can you do?
Catheter Ablation Option
In extreme cases where the extra beats are very disturbing and damage one’s quality of life, Electrophysiologists (EPs) can perform an ablation for them similar to an ablation for A-Fib. But this is a specialized procedure that not all EPs perform or are willing to perform.
Suppress PACs and PVCs with the “Awesome Foursome” Cocktail
Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra in his book, The Sinatra Solution—Metabolic Cardiology, recommends the following natural “cocktail” for suppressing PACs and PVCs, what he calls the “awesome foursome”:
• L-carnitine: A derivative of the amino acid lysine which helps to turn fat into energy. It promotes energy metabolism and enhances cardiac function. Some consider it the single most important nutrient in cardiac health. It reduces PVCs.
Dosage: Daily: 750-2000 mg of L-Carnitine Fumerate (250 to 500 mg three to four times a day).
• Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone): A naturally occurring enzyme, part of the quinone chemical group, that is found in every cell in the body. It produces energy in the mitochondria and energizes the heart. 95% of the body’s energy is generated by CoQ10, which generates energy in the form of ATP. It prolongs the action potential and helps maintain sinus rhythm. It improves heart rhythm problems.
Dosage: 100-300 mg daily in divided doses with meals.
• D-ribose: A five-carbon sugar that is a regulator in the production of ATP. The only compound used by the body to replenish depleted energy stores. Ribose increases tolerance to cardiac stress, improves exercise tolerance and physical function, provides cardiac energy needed to maintain normal heart function, increases cardiac efficiency, lowers stress during exercise, and maintains healthy energy levels in heart and muscle.
Dosage: Daily: 7-10 grams of Ribose powder. Take in divided doses with meals or just before and after exercise.
• Magnesium: A vital mineral used by the enzymes that make energy synthesis and recycling possible. Adequate intracellular magnesium is essential to normal tissue and organ function. Low magnesium is associated with cardiac abnormalities, fibrillation, and vascular and muscle spasms, and is seen in cardiac failure.
Dosage: A recommended goal is a minimum 600 mg/day, preferably 800 mg. (For example, 200mg three times a day and 200 mg at bedtime.)
To Learn More About PACs and PVCs
Read the research in my article, Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs) Predict A-Fib.
Read John’s personal A-Fib story, PVC-Free After Successful Ablation at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Sinatra’s Book on Amazon.com
Use our A-Fib.com portal link to Amazon.com to get your copy of Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra book, The Sinatra Solution—Metabolic Cardiology.
When you use the A-Fib.com Amazon.com link, we receive a small commission on each sale, at no extra cost to you. We apply it toward the monthly publishing costs of this website. Bookmark this link and use every time you go to Amazon.com.
My Top 7 Picks: Natural Supplements for a Healthy Heart
By Steve S. Ryan, PhD
While not considered “A-Fib specific” like your medications, these minerals and supplements may improve overall heart health and thereby help your Atrial Fibrillation.
Recommendations for Heart Health
For a detailed discussion of these minerals and supplements along with recommended dosages, see our article, ‘Natural’ Supplements for a Healthy Heart. Our seven recommendations are:
• Taurine
• Coenzyme Q10
• L-Carnitine
• Omega-3 Fish Oils
• Ribose (D-Ribose)
• Hawthorne Berry
• BCAA+G
Many Sources and My Amazon.com List
These minerals and supplements are available from many reputable retail and online sources. To make shopping easy for you, see my ‘Wish List’ on Amazon.com. (Note: Use any of these Amazon portal links, and your purchases help support A-Fib.com.)
To get you started choosing brands, tablet size and forms of each supplement, we offer you 2 brands that meets our requirements.
1. 
Taurine, 1000 Mg
Taurine, along with Magnesium and Potassium, have been described as “the essential trio” for treating nutritional deficiencies relating to A-Fib. Taurine protects potassium levels inside the heart, regulates cellular calcium, and improves heart muscle contraction. Suggested products:
Now Foods Taurine 1000Mg, 100-Capsules; Source Naturals Taurine 1000mg, 240 Capsules
2. 
Ubiquinol CoQ10 (coenzyme) 100 Mg
Coenzyme’s ability to energize the heart is perhaps its chief attribute; improves heart functions and heart rhythm problems. Coenzyme is a naturally occurring enzyme and plays a key role in producing energy in the mitochondria. “Ubiquinol” is a more readily absorbed form.
Source Naturals Ubiquinol CoQ10 100mg, 90 Softgels; Jarrow Formulas Ubiquinol QH-Absorb, High Absorption/Enhanced Stability, 100 mg, 120 Softgels
3. GPL-Carnitine dosage: 500 -1000 Mg
L-Carnitine is a vitamin-like nutrient; a derivative of the amino acid lysine which helps to turn fat into energy. Considered by some to be the single most important nutrient in cardiac health. It reduces the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).
Swanson Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine Hcl Gplc 840 mg 60 Caps; Vitacost GPLC Glycine Propionyl L-Carnitine HCl-GlycoCarn 1000 mg PLC per serving – 60 Capsules
4. Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000 Mg 
Essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA are considered by some to be natural defibrillators, lessening the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and A-Fib. Krill Fish Oil 1000 Mg; Essential Fatty Acids (EPA and DHA) make blood platelets less sticky, less likely to form clots (cause of strokes). Some prefer Krill oil to fish oil as it’s exacted from organisms living in pristine deep-water seas.
Source Naturals Omega EPA Fish Oil, 1000mg, 100 Softgels; MegaRed Extra Strength Omega 3 Krill Oil 500mg Supplement, 60 Count
5. Ribose/D-Ribose Powder 
Ribose increases tolerance to cardiac stress, lowers stress during exercise, and maintains healthy energy levels in heart and muscle. The heart’s ability to maintain energy is limited by one thing—-the availability of Ribose.
Now Foods D-Ribose Powder, 8-Ounce; Doctor’s Best Best D-Ribose Featuring Bioenergy Ribose, 250-Gram
6. Hawthorne Extract 
Hawthorne Berry reduces tachycardias and palpitations and prevents premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Hawthorne Berry can energize the heart without prompting arrhythmias. It has a normalizing effect upon the heartbeat. Dosage 300 to 510 Mg
Now Foods Hawthorn Extractract 300mg, Veg-capsules, 90-Count; Nature’s Way Hawthorn Berries , 510 mg., 180 Veg-capsules
7. 
BCAA with L-Glutamine, 1000 Mg
‘Branched Chain Amino Acids’ (BCAA) are critical to the repair and maintenance of strong heart muscle and function. Be sure to get BCCA in combination with L-Glutamine (though challenging to find). We like the powder form. Suggested products:
MRM BCAA+G, Lemonade, 35.2-Ounce (1000g) Plastic Jar; BodyTech BCAA and Glutamine (13.8 Oz Powder)
Note: Mineral supplements may interfere or interact with your prescription medications, so always consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your treatment plan.
Many Physicians are Not Well Versed in Nutritional Support
Always discuss with your doctor
Don’t expect a lot of support from your doctor. Unfortunately, a great number of doctors are not well versed in recommending or supervising nutritional support. Quite often, they may dismiss your inquiries about nutritional supplements.
You may need to work with (or educate) your doctor to determine the benefit of supplements for your A-Fib health.
Learn about Mineral Deficiencies and Atrial Fibrillation
For an extensive discussion about mineral deficiencies, see our Treatments page: Minerals Deficiencies.
My Top 5 Picks: Steve’s A-Fib Survival Kit for the Newly Diagnosed
By Steve S. Ryan, PhD
Your first experiences with Atrial Fibrillation have changed your life in a number of ways. As a former A-Fib patient (cured since 1998) I highly recommend these items when first diagnosed with this beast called ‘Atrial Fibrillation’.
My Top 5 Recommendations for the Newly Diagnosed
These are the products I recommend (and use) along with a Bonus: a good medical dictionary. These items are available from many online sources, but I’ve made them easy to order by making a ‘Wish List’ on Amazon.com. (Note: Use our Amazon portal link, and your purchases help support A-Fib.com.)
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Learn More about…
For more suggestions, see my Amazon.com ‘Wish List’ By a Former A-Fib Patient: My Recommended Products.
Our A-Fib Support Volunteers: Just an Email Away
After being diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, it’s helpful to talk with someone who knows what you are going through, someone you can turn to for advice, emotional support, and a sense of hope that you can be cured. That’s the role of our A-Fib Support Volunteers.
They offer you support and encouragement through exchanging emails and sharing their stories. (Not all Support Volunteers are ‘cured’ of their A-Fib, but have found the best outcome for their situation.) Learn about our world-wide network and how to contact one or more of our volunteers.
My Top 5 Picks: When You’re Deficient in Magnesium & Potassium
♥ Last updated: January 28, 2019
A deficiency in Magnesium and Potassium can force the heart into fatal arrhythmias. Most A-Fib patients are lacking in both minerals.
Magnesium & Potassium Deficiencies are Common
Magnesium (Mg) is needed for proper muscle, nerve, and enzyme function. Lacking in most diets, it’s often necessary to take a magnesium supplement over several months to restore levels.
A-Fib patients are often deficient in Potassium (K), as well In fact, a deficiency of magnesium can lead to potassium depletion. Potassium is essential for normal nerve impulses and muscle function and maintaining normal cardiac function.
A Wish List: My Top 5 Recommendations
These are the Mg and K products I recommend (and use) along with a great book on magnesium. I’ve also added two Bonus Videos. These products are available from many online sources. You can see this ‘Wish List’ on Amazon.com. (Note: Use our Amazon portal link, and your purchases help support A-Fib.com.) For recommended dosages, go to Treatments/Mineral Deficiencies.
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Learn More about Mineral Deficiencies
To read more about mineral deficiencies and how to use these products and recommended dosages, go to Treatments section on Mineral Deficiencies.
Caution: Consult with your doctor before adding any supplements to your treatment plan.
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Monday, January 28, 2019
Back to: Treatments/Mineral Deficiencies
Success with Dr. Dean’s Liquid Magnesium Supplement ‘ReMag’
Dianne T. from Mesquite, Nevada, wrote me about how magnesium supplementation has mostly eliminated her A-Fib symptoms and restored her to normal sinus rhythm (NSR). She recommends liquid magnesium:
“I was diagnosed with A-Fib about 18 months ago, but as it turned out, I have PAC’s. Of course I was told that these PACs will eventually turn into A-Fib. But I believe that irregular heartbeats, even A-Fib, can often be caused by a magnesium deficiency. After about a year on ReMag, my heart is mostly in NSR. It works!
Dianne T.
Dr. Carolyn Dean has written an eBook about A-Fib and the magnesium connection: Atrial Fibrillation: Remineralize Your Heart [July 2015]. The good thing about her liquid magnesium product, REMAG™, is that you can take a therapeutic dose without the laxative effect. I was taking 900 mg daily but now I need less. I take about 600-750 daily.
I have heard many testimonials from others suffering from A-Fib and other arrhythmia disorders who have had the same experience as I have had. But it does take time. It took me about 6-8 months before I really noticed a big difference. It doesn’t work over night, and it can get complicated when taking meds. I wasn’t on any meds, so I didn’t have that issue.”
I’m thankful to Dianne for sharing her A-Fib success story of replenishing her Magnesium levels. Magnesium is useful for many muscle-related ailments and has rightfully been called the ‘miracle’ supplement.
Considering a Magnesium Supplement?
While Dianne is using Dr. Dean’s Remag product (about $18/month), I recommend you first try these less costly magnesium supplements. I take and recommend:
• Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium (200 Mg Elemental), 240-Count (2-4 tablets a day). On Amazon.com that’s $13.84 for a 2–4 month supply (includes Free shipping for Prime Members). About $3.50 to $7 a month.
If sensitive to the laxative effect of Magnesium, I recommend:
• Magnesium oil; Spray and rub into the skin; examples: Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil and Life-flo Pure Magnesium Oil; 8 oz spray bottle lasts about 4 months. About: $2 to $4 a month.
• Epson salt (magnesium sulfate); Any brand in bulk. $1.50 to $4.50 a pound. Less than $1 a bath. Dissolve 1 to 3 cups (or three handfuls) in full tub bath and soak for 30 minutes.
These Magnesium products can be used in tandem to maximize your Mg absorption. Read more about Atrial Fibrillation and Mineral Deficiencies in our Treatments section.
‘Doctor Health’ Radio: A-Fib Patients & Common Mineral Deficiencies
INTERVIEW: Dr David Snow, host of Doctor Health Radio, talks with Steve S. Ryan, PhD, publisher of A-Fib.com, about magnesium and potassium deficiencies, both common among A-Fib patients; how ‘calcium overload’ can actually bring on Atrial Fibrillation; other supplements to promote a healthy heart; and a few warnings for A-Fib patients.
Video Format: radio interview with lower third graphic titles.
Length: 5:27 min. Click to listen in.
VIDEO LIBRARY: We have loads of A-Fib-related videos in our Video Library. For the reader who learns visually through motion graphics, audio, and personal interviews, these videos are organized loosely into three levels: introductory/basic, intermediate and in-depth/advanced.
See our video library for more videos featuring Steve S. Ryan, PhD.
Taking Warfarin? The Myth about Foods with Vitamin K
Are you taking the blood thinner warfarin to manage your risk of clots and A-Fib stroke? Have you been told to avoid foods with vitamin K to prevent excess clotting? Want to know the facts about warfarin and vitamin K? Take our 5 question quiz to separate the facts from the myths.
A 5 Question Quiz about Warfarin and Vitamin K
1. True or False: Warfarin and vitamin K actually work against each other in your body.
True. Vitamin K helps your blood clot. Warfarin makes your blood clot more slowly. Your INR level is monitored to keep them in balance.
2. True or False: When taking warfarin, you should limit foods with high levels of vitamin K like dark, leafy greens.
False. You don’t need to avoid foods with vitamin K. The key is to consistently maintain your daily level of vitamin K.
3. True or False: Vitamin K information is not included on most packaged food nutritional labels.
True. So it’s often hard to determine the amount of vitamin K in your food.
