4. Potassium
Every muscle fiber in your body requires potassium to contract. So, an imbalance of potassium can cause a multitude of issues throughout your body (13). Given the delicate rhythm of heartbeats, your heart is easily affected.
Potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) is just as likely to cause heart palpitations as an overabundance (hyperkalemia) (14). If you are at risk for a heart condition or have a family history of CHD, get your potassium levels checked regularly. A normal blood potassium level would be between 3.6-5.2 mmol/L.
Foods high in potassium include tomatoes, avocados, bananas, potatoes, and spinach. The World Health Organization recommends at least 3510 mg/day of potassium for adults. However, certain medications can affect your potassium levels, so be sure to check with your doctor if you are taking anything (15).
5. Vitamin B6
There are an increasing number of studies being published that show B-vitamin supplementation decreases the risk of death from CHD (16,17).
Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is one of the three B vitamins recommended as supplementation (the others being folate and B12).
The Institute of Medicine recommends between 1.3-1.7 mg/day of vitamin B6, with no more than 100 mg/day recommended. The reference range for a normal vitamin B6 blood test is between 5-50 µg/L.
The best food sources of B6 include beans, poultry, fish, dark leafy greens, and oranges (18). Review vitamin supplementation with your doctor, as prescription or injectable B vitamins may be best.