“Cardiovascular wellness” (marketing claim)
Umbrella marketing claim for «heart and vascular health supplements». No specific diagnosis sits behind it: ESC 2021 and SEC anchor primary cardiovascular prevention in SCORE2 risk estimation, BP, lipid and glucose control, smoking cessation, Mediterranean diet and physical activity. No supplement has demonstrated primary cardiovascular prevention. The claim drives sales of coenzyme Q10, aged garlic, lycopene, resveratrol, omega-3 and combo capsules.
Also known as: Heart health support, Vascular support, Cardio complex, Cardio support
Marketing claims without evidence base
The drug is promoted for these uses outside international guidelines. Each entry below is analyzed against AEMPS, FDA, EMA, Cochrane and major RCTs.
- DAged garlic extract (AGE, Kyolic)Not recommended · Supplement of Allium sativum extract aged for 20 months and standardised to S-allylcysteine (SAC); sold under the Kyolic brand; not registered as a medicine by AEMPSAged garlic extract (Kyolic) is garlic aged for up to a year and a half. It is sold as a supplement for heart and blood vessel health, with claims of lower blood pressure and cholesterol. There is no convincing evidence for this use: good-quality data do not show a meaningful effect on cardiovascular outcomes. For high blood pressure and high cholesterol, what actually works is diet, physical activity, and medicines with proven benefit chosen by a doctor. The extract itself is safe in this role, but do not take it instead of prescribed treatment, since this can mean missing therapy that genuinely helps.
- DBeetroot juice / dietary nitrate (Beta vulgaris)Not recommended · Food product rich in inorganic nitrate; sold as a sports supplement and a «biohack» BP-lowering aid; not registered as a medicine by AEMPSBeetroot juice is sold as a «universal vascular remedy». Cardiovascular outcomes (myocardial infarction, stroke, mortality) are not demonstrated in quality RCTs: short-term gains in NO bioavailability do not translate into fewer cardiovascular events. EFSA 2017 re-evaluated nitrate safety and confirmed an acceptable daily intake of 3.7 mg/kg – a dietary, not therapeutic, threshold. ESC 2021 builds primary prevention on SCORE2, BP, lipid and glucose control and Mediterranean diet; beetroot fits as an ordinary vegetable, not a «drug». Regular dietary beetroot is safe and useful; high-dose nitrate powder supplements are marketing with disproportionately small benefit.
- DLycopeneNot recommended · Tetraterpene carotenoid; pigment of tomatoes, rosehip, watermelon and grapefruit; sold as a supplement and as the food colorant E160d; not registered as a medicine by AEMPSLycopene is sold as a «vascular health support» on the back of observational data linking the Mediterranean diet with lower cardiovascular risk. Randomised controlled trials of isolated lycopene do not show a significant reduction in cardiovascular events. EFSA 2011 rejected health claims for lycopene and protection of LDL from oxidation – the evidence base did not meet the regulatory threshold. ESC 2021 builds primary prevention on SCORE2, BP, lipid and glucose control and Mediterranean diet; in that framework tomatoes appear as ordinary food, not as a supplement. Regular consumption of tomatoes and tomato paste with olive oil is useful and safe; high-dose lycopene capsules are marketing.
How to read tiers A–F
Evidence tiers belong to the drug-indication pair, not to the drug as a whole: the same substance can be A for one condition and F for another.
- AStrong evidence – first or second line in international guidelines
- BRecommended in selected cases
- CStudy data contradict each other
- DBenefit not proven, no documented harm
- FDocumented harm, or risk without benefit