About this session
Supplements marketed for heart health can make powerful promises. Products may claim to support cholesterol, blood pressure, circulation, energy or the heart itself, often using scientific language, natural imagery and testimonials that make the evidence difficult to judge.
A supplement can contain vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, herbs, plant extracts or other ingredients intended to add to the diet.
However, being available for sale does not mean that a product has been proven to prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol or replace prescribed treatment.
In the United States, for example, supplements are regulated differently from medicines, and effectiveness is not established before every product reaches the market.
This session helps participants ask better questions before purchasing or using a supplement.
It covers evidence, labels, dosage, product quality, interactions, side effects and the difference between correcting a deficiency, treating a specific condition and taking something "just in case."
What your people take away
- Understand the difference between food, fortified products, supplements and prescribed medicines
- Evaluate common heart-health claims without relying on testimonials or packaging
- Explore what the evidence says about omega-3, vitamins, minerals and popular cholesterol supplements
- Recognize possible medication interactions, side effects and duplication between products
- Use a practical checklist before buying, starting or continuing a supplement
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot DoA focused 30-minute session on three key points from Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do: separate nutrient need from disease prevention, distinguish supplements from medicines and start with the overall eating pattern.
- Separate nutrient need from disease prevention
- Distinguish supplements from medicines
- Start with the overall eating pattern
Covers 3 of 4 points in Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do.
60 minutes
A practical introduction to supplements, evidence, nutrient deficiencies, disease-prevention claims and the difference between supplements and prescribed medicines.
- Module 1: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 3 parts: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do.
90 minutes
Everything in the 60-minute session, plus closer examination of omega-3, multivitamins, antioxidants, minerals and popular cholesterol-related products.
- Module 1: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do
- Module 2: Examine Common Heart-Health Supplements
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 3 parts: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do and Examine Common Heart-Health Supplements.
3 hours
Covers all 3 parts.
Full day
Full exploration of supplement evidence, labels, marketing claims, ingredient duplication, medication interactions and safer decision-making.
- Module 1: Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do
- Module 2: Examine Common Heart-Health Supplements
- Module 3: Make Safer and Better-Informed Decisions
- Live Q&A
Covers all 3 parts, in more depth, with more time to practice.
What’s covered
Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do
Every length- Separate nutrient need from disease preventionA supplement may be useful when someone has a diagnosed deficiency, restricted diet or specific clinical need.
- Distinguish supplements from medicinesMedicines are prescribed or recommended for defined clinical purposes, while supplements are sold to add ingredients to the diet.
- Start with the overall eating patternFoods provide combinations of nutrients, fiber and other components that are not reproduced by taking one isolated vitamin or mineral.
- Ask what outcome was actually studiedA study may show that a supplement changes one blood marker without proving that it prevents heart attacks, strokes or death.
Examine Common Heart-Health Supplements
90 minutes and longer- Omega-3 and fish oilOmega-3 supplements can lower triglyceride levels, but their wider cardiovascular benefits depend on the product, dose, population and clinical purpose.
- Multivitamins and antioxidantsMultivitamins and antioxidant supplements are often taken as general protection against heart disease.
- Vitamin D, calcium and mineralsVitamin D, calcium, magnesium and potassium are important nutrients, but a nutrient's role in the body does not prove that taking more of it improves heart health.
- Popular cholesterol productsRed yeast rice, niacin, garlic, coenzyme Q10 and other products are often promoted for cholesterol or cardiovascular support.
Make Safer and Better-Informed Decisions
3 hours and longer- Read beyond the front labelWords such as natural, heart support, clinically studied or scientifically formulated can create a strong impression without explaining the quality of the evidence.
- Check for duplicationA multivitamin, fortified drink, individual mineral and specialist heart supplement may contain several of the same ingredients.
- Consider medicines and health conditionsSupplements can change how medicines are absorbed, broken down or used by the body, and some can interfere with laboratory tests or surgery.
- Use a pre-purchase checklistBefore buying a supplement, participants ask what the product is for, what evidence supports it, whether the dose is appropriate, what else they already take and who can provide reliable advice.
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say?
How long is Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say??
Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say? runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do: separate nutrient need from disease prevention, distinguish supplements from medicines and start with the overall eating pattern. A 60-minute session covers Understand What Supplements Can and Cannot Do in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Examine Common Heart-Health Supplements. A 3-hour session adds Make Safer and Better-Informed Decisions. A full-day session covers everything, in more depth, with more time to practice.
Can Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say? be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say??
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Food Supplements and Heart Health: What Does the Evidence Say? to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.