Natural Health Products and Heart Medications in Brampton

Walk through any Brampton household and you may find more than prescription bottles in the kitchen cupboard. There may be fish oil capsules, a multivitamin, turmeric tablets, garlic pills, a jar of herbal powder sent by a relative, an Ayurvedic or traditional Chinese remedy, or a tonic recommended by a friend for “keeping the heart strong.” Many people use these products alongside their prescribed heart medications, often without mentioning them to their doctor or pharmacist.

Natural health products can play a role in people’s wellbeing, and many are used safely. But “natural” does not always mean harmless, particularly for people taking medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rhythm or blood clots. Some natural products can increase bleeding risk, change how medications are absorbed or broken down, affect blood pressure, or alter potassium levels.

This post explains common areas of concern and how to talk about natural health products with your healthcare team. The pharmacists at Pharmasave BramCentre, 14 - 7910 Hurontario Street in Brampton welcome these conversations and will not judge the products you use.

What counts as a natural health product

In Canada, natural health products include vitamins and minerals, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines such as Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines, probiotics, and other products like amino acids and essential fatty acids. Health Canada regulates natural health products sold in Canada, and licensed products carry an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. You can learn more on the Health Canada natural health products page.

Products brought from abroad, purchased online from outside Canada, or prepared at home may not have gone through the same review. That does not automatically make them unsafe, but it means less is known about their content and quality.

Why interactions happen

Interactions between natural products and medications generally happen in a few ways:

• Additive effects: two products that do similar things, such as both affecting clotting, can combine to produce a stronger effect than intended.
• Opposing effects: a product may counteract a medication, such as a stimulant raising blood pressure while you take a blood pressure medication.
• Changes in metabolism: some products affect liver enzymes that break down medications, raising or lowering medication levels.
• Changes in absorption: some products, particularly minerals and fibre supplements, can reduce how much of a medication is absorbed if taken at the same time.

The result may be a medication that works less well, or more strongly than intended, which can cause side effects.

Blood thinners: the most important group to check

People taking warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications should be especially careful. Products that may increase bleeding risk or affect blood thinner activity include:

• Fish oil and omega-3 supplements, particularly at higher doses
• Ginkgo biloba
• Garlic supplements (cooking amounts are generally not the concern)
• Turmeric or curcumin supplements in concentrated form
• Ginger supplements in large amounts
• Dong quai
• Vitamin E in high doses
• St. John’s wort, which can reduce the effect of some blood thinners

For warfarin specifically, products containing vitamin K, such as some multivitamins and green supplements, can affect INR results. Consistency and communication matter. Always check before starting or stopping a product.

Cholesterol medications and supplements

Some products can interact with statins or duplicate their effect:

• Red yeast rice contains a compound similar to a statin and should not be combined with statin therapy without medical advice.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can raise the levels of certain statins.
• St. John’s wort may reduce the effect of some statins.
• Niacin supplements at high doses may increase some side effects.

Plant sterol products and fibre supplements are sometimes used to support cholesterol management. If you are interested in these, ask your pharmacist how they might fit with your current treatment.

Blood pressure and heart rhythm concerns

Some natural products can raise blood pressure or affect heart rate:

• Licorice root (real licorice, in significant amounts) can raise blood pressure and lower potassium.
• Products containing stimulants, such as some weight-loss or energy supplements, can raise heart rate and blood pressure.
• Some products marketed for energy or performance contain caffeine or related compounds.
• Potassium supplements and potassium-based salt substitutes may raise potassium levels in people taking certain blood pressure medications or with kidney disease.

People taking digoxin or heart rhythm medications should be especially careful with herbal products, as some can affect these medications’ levels or effects.

Reading a supplement label with your heart in mind

Supplement labels can be dense, but a few sections are worth checking every time:

• The NPN or DIN-HM number, which tells you the product has been licensed for sale in Canada.
• Medicinal ingredients, listed with amounts per dose. Look for ingredients mentioned in this article, such as fish oil, ginkgo, garlic, turmeric or curcumin, licorice, vitamin K, potassium or St. John’s wort.
• Non-medicinal ingredients, which may include sodium, sugar or caffeine in some products.
• Cautions and warnings, which often say to consult a healthcare practitioner if you take blood thinners or have high blood pressure or heart disease.
• Recommended dose and duration, since some products are meant only for short-term use.

Multi-ingredient “heart health,” “circulation,” “energy” or “detox” blends can be particularly tricky, because they combine several herbs that each have their own considerations. A product that looks gentle on the front of the box can contain a long list of active ingredients on the back.

If a product’s claims seem too good to be true, such as promising to replace prescription medication or “clean out” arteries, treat that as a reason to ask questions rather than a reason to buy. No supplement should be used as a substitute for prescribed heart medication without discussing it with your prescriber.

Traditional remedies and family recommendations

In many Brampton families, remedies are passed down through generations or sent from relatives abroad. A grandmother’s recommended powder, a herbal decoction or a traditional tablet may be an important part of family health practices.

It is perfectly fine to use and value these traditions. The key is to share them with your healthcare team. Bring the product, the packaging or a photo of the label to the pharmacy. If there is no English label, bring what information you have, including the name in its original language. Your pharmacist can look up what is known and help you make an informed decision. If little is known, they can talk you through the potential risks so you can weigh them.

How to talk to your pharmacist about supplements

Many people do not mention natural products because they assume they do not matter, or because they worry about being judged. Pharmacists ask about them precisely because they can matter. Some tips for these conversations:

1. Make a complete list of everything you take: prescriptions, over-the-counter products, vitamins, herbs, teas, powders and tonics.
2. Include doses and how often you take each one.
3. Bring the products or photos of their labels when possible.
4. Mention why you take each one, so the pharmacist can suggest alternatives if needed.
5. Ask before starting anything new, especially if you take a blood thinner or heart medication.

A medication review at Pharmasave BramCentre is designed for exactly this kind of complete look. Health Canada’s medication chart can help you organise your list beforehand.

Before surgery and procedures

Some natural health products may increase bleeding risk during surgery or dental procedures, or interact with anaesthetic medications. Your surgical team may ask you to stop certain products before a procedure. Tell them about everything you take, and ask for specific instructions. Do not stop prescribed blood thinners unless the clinician managing them has told you to.

A practical example

Consider someone who has taken a blood thinner for a few years without any trouble. After a family wedding, a relative recommends a daily turmeric and ginger blend for joint stiffness, and a friend suggests fish oil “for the heart.” Each product seems harmless on its own, so none of them gets mentioned at the next refill. A few weeks later, the person notices more bruising than usual and gums that bleed when brushing. Situations like this are exactly why pharmacists ask about everything you take, not just prescriptions. Several small additions can add up. Unusual bruising, nosebleeds that are hard to stop, blood in the urine or dark stools are signs to report promptly to your pharmacist or doctor, and any serious bleeding needs emergency care. Checking before you start a new product is far easier than sorting out a problem afterward.

Keeping your routine simple and safe

The more products you take, the more complex your routine becomes and the more chance of interactions or missed doses. Periodically reviewing what you take, and whether you still need it, is a healthy habit. Your pharmacist can help you decide which products are worth keeping.

If your prescriptions are complicated, compliance packs can help organise them, and the prescription refill service keeps your supply on track. For people who prefer to explore general product information on their own, the pharmacy’s resources page links to helpful tools.

Bring your supplements to Pharmasave BramCentre

Natural health products can be part of a healthy life, but they work best when your whole healthcare team knows about them. If you take heart medications and use, or are considering, any natural product, we encourage you to check with us.

You can visit Pharmasave BramCentre, 14 - 7910 Hurontario Street, Brampton, ON L6Y 0P6, or ring us at (905) 497-5177. The contact page has further options, and the booking page lets you set aside time for a full review of everything you take.

This article provides general information about natural health products and heart medications. Please consult your pharmacist before starting, stopping or combining any products.