20 for your ticker: the best supplements for heart health.

If the Boston Red Sox can beat the curse that's followed them since 1918 to win the 2004 World Series, can Americans beat the No. 1 cause of death that has reigned since the same year? It looks like it's going to take us a little longer than it took the Sox, but the trend is encouraging.

In 2002, heart disease claimed nearly 700,000 lives in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The good news is that this number was 2.8 percent lower than the previous year's number. In fact, the CDC reported there has been a steady decline in the number of deaths from heart disease since 1980.

Perhaps Americans really have become more aware of heart-healthful habits and products. After all, as of November 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved heart-health claims for several foods, including soy, fiber and olive oil. And there are also many dietary supplements that promote cardiovascular wellness. The following list (in alphabetical order) comprises 20 such ingredients, which are likely to appear on the labels of heart-focused supplements and functional foods.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

"Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been identified as a powerful antioxidant found naturally in our diets, but it appears to have increased functional capacity when given as a supplement in the form of a natural or synthetic isolate," state Canadian researchers in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of Nutrition. They also noted that ALA prevents cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL oxidation and high blood pressure.

Chlorella

Chlorella, a green superfood, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, according to a fall 2002 report in the Journal of Medicinal Food. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond found flint chlorella helped one-quarter of their study group participants reach their blood pressure goals.