5 supplements heart doctors take

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin because the body produces it when skin is exposed to sunlight. The problem? Low levels of exposure to sunlight during darker months, and the sunscreen we wear to stave off skin cancer, may also prevent vitamin D production – and low levels of D are linked to a host of diseases and conditions including heart disease. “I wear tons of sunblock and a big wide-brimmed hat to protect my skin from cancer, so I take 2000 international units of vitamin D a day to make sure my levels are where that need to be,” says Dr Steinbaum. A simple blood test for vitamin D can tell you where you stand and whether you need supplements.