Natural treatments for mitral valve prolapse
Natural treatments for mitral valve prolapse (MVP) focus on managing symptoms and promoting cardiovascular health without conventional medical interventions. MVP is a heart condition affecting 2-3% of the global population, characterized by the improper alignment of the mitral valve, which can lead to complications like mitral regurgitation. One key natural treatment proposed is magnesium, which may help alleviate symptoms such as chest pain and anxiety, especially in individuals with low magnesium levels. Other natural options include a variety of supplements and herbs, such as CoQ10, hawthorn, and vitamin E, although there is limited scientific evidence supporting their efficacy specifically for MVP.
Additional treatments may target anxiety-related symptoms, incorporating practices like acupuncture and herbal remedies such as valerian and passionflower. It is also advised for individuals with MVP to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and avoiding stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, to help prevent symptom progression. However, caution is advised as many natural supplements can interact with medications, and individuals should consult healthcare professionals before starting any new treatment regimen, particularly those with existing health conditions.
Natural treatments for mitral valve prolapse
DEFINITION: Treatment of the condition caused by the prolapse, or misalignment, of one of the valves of the heart.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENT: Magnesium
- OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acetyl-L-carnitine, acupuncture, arginine, CoQ10, creatine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, gamma-linolenic acid, hawthorn, hops, kava, L-carnitine, lemon balm, lipoic acid, melatonin, multivitamin-multimineral supplements, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, passionflower, taurine, valerian, vitamin B1, vitamin E
Introduction
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) affects between 2 and 3 percent of the global population. (Past estimates were higher because of errors in diagnosis.) As the name suggests, MVP involves prolapse (misalignment or the falling out of place) of one of the valves of the heart, the mitral valve.
The mitral valve ensures blood flows in one direction through the heart from the atrium to the ventricle. However, if the valve does not fit properly, it may fail to moderate blood flow. In some individuals, MVP is benign, but if the valve is loose enough to allow blood in the ventricle to flow back into the atrium, called mitral regurgitation, it may require surgery.
In the past, a set of symptoms called dysautonomia was thought to frequently occur in association with MVP. Dysautonomia involves autonomic or neuroendocrine dysfunction (the part of the nervous system that is not under conscious control). MVP plus dysautonomia used to be called mitral valve prolapse syndrome. Symptoms were said to include chest pain with no apparent medical cause, panic attacks and anxiety, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, balance problems, hypersensitive startle reflex, shortness of breath, numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes, hyperventilation, and sensitivity to caffeine and other stimulants. However, more recent evidence indicates that symptoms of dysautonomia occur with no greater frequency in people with MVP than in people without MVP. In other words, there is probably no connection between the two conditions. Individuals previously diagnosed with MVP syndrome are now said to have two separate conditions: MVP plus symptoms of dysautonomia.
Conventional treatment for MVP involves regular monitoring for mitral regurgitation and maintenance of normal weight and blood pressure to avoid excess strain on the valve. In addition, people with MVP are given antibiotics before surgical or dental procedures. Those procedures may release bacteria into the bloodstream, and in people with MVP, bacteria may stick to the valves and cause infection (a condition called endocarditis). Antibiotic treatment can prevent this. People with MVP who also have symptoms of dysautonomia may be separately treated for those symptoms, too.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Low levels of magnesium can cause some symptoms similar to dysautonomia. One study evaluated 141 people with MVP and dysautonomia and found that 60 percent had low magnesium levels in the blood. This subgroup of people with low magnesium was enrolled in a ten-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. (They received placebo or magnesium supplements for five weeks and then were “crossed over” to the other group.) People receiving magnesium experienced a significant reduction in dysautonomic symptoms, such as chest pain, palpitations, anxiety, and shortness of breath.
Note that it is unlikely that these people had magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency is thought to be a rare condition. More likely, low magnesium levels are a consequence of some other factor that also causes dysautonomia symptoms. Regardless, magnesium supplementation could help treat such symptoms. However, more studies are necessary to validate this promising possibility.
In general, magnesium has been shown to play an essential role in cardiovascular health, and individuals at risk for cardiovascular problems like mitral valve prolapse may benefit from increasing their intake of magnesium-rich foods like spinach, dark chocolate, legumes, and avocados or from supplementing their diet with magnesium orotate. However, because magnesium can interfere with some medications, patients should consult their physician before beginning a supplementation regimen.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Various herbs and supplements thought to help the heart in miscellaneous ways (such as treating congestive heart failure or preventing coronary artery disease) are often recommended for MVP, too, on general principles. These herbs and supplements include arginine, CoQ10, creatine, hawthorn, L-carnitine, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, taurine, vitamin B1, and vitamin E. However, there is no scientific reason to believe that any of these natural treatments would help MVP.
A variety of other natural treatments are used to treat anxiety-related dysautonomia symptoms. These treatments include 5-hydroxytryptophan, acupuncture, hops, kava, lemon balm, melatonin, multivitamin-multimineral supplements, passionflower, and valerian. Natural treatments used for stress may also be helpful.
In people with diabetes, a serious form of autonomic nervous system dysfunction can occur. The supplements lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, and gamma-linolenic acid have shown some promise for this condition, and for this reason, they have been recommended for the treatment of dysautonomic symptoms.
To ensure MVP does not progress, patients with MVP should avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Getting regular exercise and avoiding processed foods when possible is also advisable.
Herbs and Supplements to Use with Caution
Numerous herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to treat mitral valve prolapse. Magnesium supplements should not be used by individuals with renal insufficiency.
Bibliography
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Freed, L. A., et al. “Prevalence and Clinical Outcome of Mitral-Valve Prolapse.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 341, 1999, pp. 1-7.
Hellicar, Lauren. "How Can a Person Strengthen Their Heart Valves Naturally?" Medical News Today, 28 Feb. 2023, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-to-strengthen-heart-valves-naturally. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Sinatra, Stephen. "Mitral Valve Prolapse & Natural Treatments." Healthy Directions, www.healthydirections.com/articles/heart-health/what-you-need-to-know-about-mitral-valve-prolapse-including-natural-treatments. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
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