Harmful Supplement

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Dietary supplement may harm heart patients:

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Heart attack patients should avoid the dietary supplement

L-arginine based on a study that was scuttled after six volunteers taking the

over-the-counter supplement died, researchers said on Tuesday.

The study of 153 people who had had heart attacks and continued to have symptoms

of heart disease found no benefit from taking the supplement sometimes

advertised as having the potential to reduce vascular stiffness.

L-arginine is also sometimes touted as a treatment for hypertension, angina,

heart failure and sexual dysfunction.

After six months of a planned two-year study, Dr. Schulman of s

Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore concluded that the supplement did not

reduce vascular stiffness, nor did it improve the heart's ability to pump blood.

" To the contrary, we noted a possible increased risk of death in older patients

after (heart attack) while taking L-arginine compared with those taking a

placebo, leading to the early termination of the study, " Schulman wrote in the

Journal of the American Medical Association.

The patients were also taking other medications. None of those taking a placebo

died.