Reversing Artery Plaque: 8 Supplements Ranked by the Evidence | Simon Hill, MSc
The Proof with Simon HillShow Notes
Can a supplement actually reverse the plaque in your arteries, or only slow it down? It is the question I am asked most, and after a 2024 scan revealed early plaque in my own left anterior descending artery, it became a personal one too.
This is part two of my three-part series on reversing atherosclerosis. In this solo episode I work through eight of the most popular supplements and rank them by the strength of the human evidence, not the strength of the marketing.
What we cover:
Why pure EPA has by far the strongest evidence for regressing plaque, and what EVAPORATE, CHERRY, JELIS, and REDUCE-IT showed
The REDUCE-IT versus STRENGTH debate, and why the form of omega-3 may matter as much as the dose
Aged garlic extract and vitamin K2: what the imaging and calcification data suggest
Niacin and the biomarker trap: raising "good" cholesterol without lowering risk
Where CoQ10, berberine, nattokinase, and pomegranate extract really sit, plus a fact-check of a popular nattokinase claim
My own plan after that scan, and a preview of part three on the pharmaceuticals
Only one of these eight has strong evidence behind it, and even then it is a prescription rather than a tub from the supplement aisle. Supplements can be useful additions, but never a replacement for the proven basics.
You can see exactly what I take over at my personal supplement stack.
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Can Supplements Actually Reverse Arterial Plaque? (00:00)
EVAPORATE Trial: High-Dose EPA Reversed Plaque by 9% (02:09)
Why Pure EPA Outperforms Standard Fish Oil (07:22)
JELIS to REDUCE-IT: EPA Cuts Cardiac Events by 25% (10:10)
REDUCE-IT Controversy and RESPECT-EPA 2024 (13:47)
VITAL Trial: Omega-3 for Healthy Adults + 2026 Lp(a) Data (16:51)
Aged Garlic Extract: 3 Trials on Plaque and Calcification (20:09)
Vitamin K2: Does Redirecting Calcium Lower Heart Risk? (23:17)
Niacin Failed: Why Raising HDL Didn't Save Lives (27:50)
CoQ10: Promising Mechanism, No Plaque Imaging Proof (33:18)
Berberine: The Gut Pathway No Other Supplement Uses (38:21)
Nattokinase: One Study Says 36% Drop, One Says Zero (41:16)
Pomegranate Extract: Strong Animal Data, Weak Human Trials (49:16)
Which Supplements Can Actually Reverse Atherosclerosis? (53:18)
Simon's Personal Protocol for Reversing LAD Plaque (55:24)
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