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How to increase ejection fraction naturally?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Oct 23, 2023.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Lifestyle measures that can help improve your ejection fraction naturally, in addition to medications and other measures prescribed by your doctor, include:

  • Doing moderate-intensity physical activity at least 3 to 5 times per week for at least 20 to 40 minutes per session
  • Avoiding substances that can affect your heart or worsen your symptoms such as alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, stimulants, and cigarettes
  • Limiting how much salt you eat to no more than 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams per day
  • Manage your stress with relaxation exercises, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing.

Losing weight can also improve your symptoms of heart failure, although it may not directly improve your ejection fraction.

What is ejection fraction?

Ejection fraction is a way doctors can measure a person’s degree of heart failure. If somebody is said to have an ejection fraction (EF) of 38%, that means that their heart can only pump 38% of its blood to their body. A normal ejection fraction is 55% to 70%.

References

7 Ways to Improve Your Ejection Fraction (and What That Actually Means). Cleveland Clinic 2021. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-ways-to-improve-your-ejection-fraction-and-what-that-actually-means/

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