Coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Overview

Post–coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) supplement evidence is early and mixed. Vitamin A after surgery may shorten intensive care and hospital stays in some patients, particularly those with adequate zinc, based on three small studies.

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) did not improve recovery or survival orally in one trial, though IV NAC lowered kidney injury markers without changing function in another. Selenium taken for four weeks preoperatively may improve metabolic and inflammatory markers in limited research. See the heatmap and evidence reviews below.

Effect graph

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Relevant supplements

Relevant supplements sorted by DEX Score.


Vitamin A	★★★★★	Low
Selenium	★★★★★	Low
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)	★★★★★	Low

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Studies

Find individual evidence reviews for supplements sorted by DEX Score.

3 supplements for rated at least stars. All purchase bands. No minimum star filter.

Vitamin AView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceMediumTrustMedium

Evidence Review

Early research suggests that taking vitamin A supplements daily after heart bypass surgery may help reduce time spent in intensive care by nearly half or more.
It may also shorten overall hospital stays for patients who have enough zinc in their bodies.
More studies are needed.

Browse 3 studies

RCTTherapeutic effects of olfactory training and systemic vitamin A in patients with COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction: a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial2024n=90

An RCT of 90 patients with COVID-19 smell loss found olfactory training improved recovery (76.9–86.7%) versus 26.7% in controls; adding oral vitamin A did not improve outcomes further.

Effect: No Benefit
Duration: 3 months
Population: Adults
Participants: 90

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RCTEvaluation and comparison of vitamin A supplementation with standard therapies in the treatment of patients with COVID-192022n=91

An RCT of 182 COVID-19 outpatients found adding vitamin A 25,000 IU/day for 10 days to standard therapy significantly reduced fever, body aches, fatigue, and C-reactive protein versus standard treatment alone.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 10 days
Dose: 25000 IU/day
Population: Patients With Covid-19
Participants: 91

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RCTEffect of vitamin A supplementation on clinical evolution in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, according to serum levels of zinc2012

An RCT in CABG patients found vitamin A supplementation raised retinol and β-carotene in zinc-replete patients and reduced hospitalization and ICU stay compared with controls.

Effect: Benefit
Population: Patients With Adequate Concentrations Of Zinc

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N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)View supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceLowTrustMedium

Evidence Review

It is uncertain if taking N-acetylcysteine (NAC) by mouth or IV helps people having coronary artery bypass surgery.
One study showed oral NAC did not improve recovery or survival.
Another study found that IV NAC lowered markers of kidney injury after surgery, but kidney function was normal in all patients.

Browse 2 studies

RCTThe effect of N-acetyl cysteine injection on renal function after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a randomized double blind clinical trial2021n=30

An RCT of 30 PCI patients found NAC injection (100 mg/kg) preserved renal function better than hydration alone after contrast exposure.

Effect: Benefit
Dose: 100 mg/kg
Population: Adults
Participants: 30

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RCTBlood cardioplegia with N-acetylcysteine may reduce coronary endothelial activation and myocardial oxidative stress2009n=20

An RCT of 20 cardiac surgery patients found NAC-enriched blood cardioplegia reduced coronary endothelial activation post-reperfusion.

Effect: Benefit
Dose: 300 mg/day
Population: Adults undergoing CABG
Participants: 20

View on PubMed

SeleniumView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceLowTrustMedium

Evidence Review

Some research indicates that taking selenium supplements for 4 weeks before heart bypass surgery might improve blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation.

Browse 1 study

RCTEffects of Selenium Supplementation on Metabolic Status in Patients Undergoing for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) Surgery: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial2019n=17

In 33 CABG patients over 4 weeks, selenium 200 mcg/day improved fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, and HDL versus placebo.