Supplements that influence
hypertension or useful in those with hypertension
Natural Therapies for hypertension
Reduce salt intake
Try to shed some pounds --
Greater amounts of fat in the abdomen point to an
increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
Eating lots of whole grains reduces high blood pressure. In the study, men with
the highest whole-grain consumption were 19 percent less likely to develop high
blood pressure than men who ate the least amount of whole grains. While refining
grains removes their outer coating, whole grains retain their bran and germ, so
they are richer in many nutrients. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
September 2009.
Reduce alcohol intake
Reduce or stop smoking
Try to have less stress in your daily life
Reduce fat intake, except from fish oils
Reduce caffeine-intake--skip that second cup of coffee, substitute caffeine-free
herbal drinks.
Exercise, walk one more mile per day
Eat more fruits and vegetables, onions, and garlic. Garlic consumption may help
those with hypertension.
Drink more water
Yoga helps lower blood pressure
Garlic for hypertension
Did you know that if you have hypertension and you eat garlic or
perhaps take garlic pills your blood pressure could be slightly reduced? Doctors at
Hartford Hospital, in Hartford, CT, reviewed several studies with garlic
done in the last few years and concluded that the use of this herb, on
average, can help systolic blood pressure drop by 16 mm Hg and diastolic
blood pressure by 9 mmHg. The use of garlic apparently did not
reduce blood pressure in those with normal blood pressure. A review by
another team of researchers at
The University of Adelaide in South Australia found
garlic reduced systolic blood pressure by 8 mm Hg, on average, and
diastolic blood pressure by 7 mm Hg. Although the actual mg of pressure
reduction is still not clear, it does appear that garlic consumption is of
benefit to those with blood pressure problems The amount of garlic used in the
studies was about a gram, providing about 5 mg of allicin, one of the
active ingredients in this herb. Sulfides present in garlic are converted
by red blood cells into hydrogen sulfide which helps to dilate blood vessels. If you have hypertension you may consider eating more
garlic or taking a garlic supplement. An average garlic clove weighs about 3 to 5 grams.
Those who are already on blood pressure medications are not likely
to have significant side effects when adding fresh garlic to their diet.
However, do discuss with your doctor that you are planning to take garlic and
initially use only a small clove once a day. Over time you can gradually
increase the amount of garlic you use while you monitor your blood pressure.
Hopefully it may be possible to reduce the dosage of BP medications if the
garlic helps reduce BP by a few points. Those concerned about garlic breath may
consider taking odorless garlic pills.
Anti-hypertensive nutraceuticals and functional foods.
J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jun 10; Department of Biochemistry, Food and
Nutritional Sciences Programme, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT,
Hong Kong, China.
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that elevated blood pressure is one of
the major risk factors for stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD). A close
association between blood pressure and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases
is well established if systolic/diastolic blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg.
In recent years, nutraceuticals and functional foods have attracted considerable
interest as potential alternative therapies for treatment of hypertension,
especially for prehypertensive patients, whose blood pressure is marginally or
mildly high but not high enough to warrant the prescription of blood
pressure-lowering medications. This review summarizes the findings of recent
studies on the chemistry, production, application, efficacy, and mechanisms of
popular blood pressure-lowering nutraceuticals and functional foods including
the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet plan, L-arginine,
chlorogenic acid, fermented milk, garlic, onion, tea, soybean, ginger, hawthorn,
and fish oil.
Plants used in Trinidad and Tobago to
treat hypertension
Aloe vera, Annona muricata, Artocarpus
altilis, Bixa orellana, Bidens alba, Bidens pilosa, Bonta daphnoides, Carica
papaya, Cecropia peltata, Citrus paradisi, Cola nitida, Crescentia cujete,
Gomphrena globosa, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Kalanchoe pinnata, Morus alba, Nopalea
cochinellifera, Ocimum campechianum, Passiflora quadrangularis, Persea americana
and Tamarindus indicus.
Cause of Hypertension
Diet, lack of physical activity, poor sleep, stress,
and smoking are associated with hypertension. A person's risk of developing
hypertension rises along with weight, even when it's within normal range. The
higher a person's body mass index (BMI), the higher his risk of developing
hypertension. High blood levels of uric acid is correlated with obesity
and hypertension.
Being heavy goes hand-in-hand with having hypertension. Those who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) -- such as ibuprofin (Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) at least 22 days per month
appear to be much more likely than others to develop hypertension. Regular use
of acetaminophen may also contribute to hypertension.
Medicines that
can lead
to hypertension
NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, decongestants, steroids, estrogen and oral
contraceptives, cyclosporine
If you have hypertension, a physician should make sure you don't have the
following:
Primary hyperaldosteronism and Cushing’s syndrome. Hyperthyroidism or
hypothyroidism. Sleep apnea.
Complications of hypertension
Untreated hypertension can lead to cardiovascular disease such as left ventricular hypertrophy which could lead
to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias and myocardial infarction, along with stroke, and kidney
disease. People with a history of hypertension are at an increased risk of
developing mild cognitive impairment, a condition that involves difficulties
with thinking and learning.
Cognitive decline
Cognitive function is the term used to describe a person's state of
consciousness (alertness and orientation), memory, attention span, and insight.
Hypertension is a type of cardiovascular disease characterized by elevation of
blood pressure above the level considered normal for people of similar racial
and environmental backgrounds. It is also referred to as high blood pressure.
According to studies, high blood pressure is linked to memory problems in adults
over the age of 45.
Hypertension medication and
risk of diabetes
Patients with hypertension are more likely to develop new-onset diabetes than
those who don't have hypertension, but this tendency is often attributed to
higher weight, recent weight gain, or stronger family history of diabetes among
those with high blood pressure. Doctors have known since 1958 that some drugs
used to control hypertension have the side effect of increasing blood sugar and
causing new-onset diabetes. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center
analyzed the data and have found significant differences between hypertension
drugs. ACE-inhibitors and the newer angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs
prevent people from getting diabetes, and the older diuretics or beta-blockers,
increase the chance that a person becomes diabetic. The lowest risk of new-onset
diabetes occurs with angiotensin receptor blockers or ACE-inhibitors, followed
by calcium channel blockers, and highest with beta-blockers or diuretics.
Diuretics or beta-blockers slightly increase the risk of becoming diabetic.
Hypertension in children and
teenagers
Children and teenagers with high blood pressure may have more difficulty
with memory, planning and tackling complex tasks than their peers. Journal of
Pediatrics, February 2009.
Measuring blood pressure
When blood pressure is checked, two values are recorded. The higher one occurs when the
heart contracts (systole); the lower occurs when the heart relaxes between beats
(diastole). Blood pressure is written as the systolic pressure followed by a slash
followed by the diastolic pressure--for example, 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury).
This reading would be referred to as "one-twenty over eighty."
High blood pressure is defined as a
systolic pressure at rest that averages 140 mm Hg or more, a diastolic pressure at rest
that averages 90 mm Hg or more, or both. In high blood pressure, usually both the systolic
and the diastolic pressures are elevated. In isolated systolic hypertension,
the systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg or more, but the diastolic pressure is less than 90 mm
Hg--that is, the diastolic pressure is in the normal range. Isolated systolic hypertension
is increasingly common with advancing age. In almost everyone, blood pressure increases
with age, with systolic pressure increasing until at least age 80 and diastolic pressure
increasing until age 55 to 60, then leveling off or even falling.
Define
hypertension
High blood pressure is defined as a
systolic pressure at rest that averages 140 mm Hg or more, a diastolic pressure at rest
that averages 90 mm Hg or more, or both. In high blood pressure, usually both the systolic
and the diastolic pressures are elevated.
Systolic
hypertension
In isolated systolic hypertension,
the systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg or more, but the diastolic pressure is less than 90 mm
Hg--that is, the diastolic pressure is in the normal range. Isolated systolic hypertension
is increasingly common with advancing age. In almost everyone, blood pressure increases
with age, with systolic pressure increasing until at least age 80 and diastolic pressure
increasing until age 55 to 60, then leveling off or even falling.
Blood pressure differences between arms
Significant blood pressure differences between the right and left arms of patients
may indicate an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Patients sometimes have blood
pressure differences between their arms that are greater than or equal to 20/10 mm Hg. The
prevalence and prognostic value of this finding are unknown. If these differences are due
to peripheral vascular disease, these patients may be at increased risk of cardiovascular
or cerebrovascular events.
Hypertension and alternative
treatment questions
Q. I'm confused on which supplements to purchase for hypertension. I'm 47 years
old, my weight 145 pounds, I work in a highly stressful job, my blood pressure
is 180/100 or 170/110. My medical doctor placed me on hypertension medicine the
lowest dosage and I was unable to stand on my feet at all, I felt dizzy, he then
put me on hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg and I broke out of hives all over my body.
So now I am taking nothing. I walk on a treadmill in the morning 5 days a week.
My diet consist of mostly salmon, sardines, butterfish and vegetables. No meat.
I'm asthmatic and only have 1and 1/2 lung. Could you please direct me to which
supplements that will help me to lower my hypertension.
A. We can't give any individual advice you are welcome to discuss
the information on this hypertension page with your doctor.
Q. I am a Veteran and I love to have sex. I
have hypertension and the VA Doctor put me on Amlodipine Besylate 10 MG Tab,
Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 MG tab, and Atenolol 25MG tab Daily. I am 61 years old.
They think without the medicine I might have a heart attack. It's been a week
now and I cannot get an erection and have a normal sex, I can have oral sex with
my partner. Will oral sex cause any problems? Before I can have normal erection
sex they want to put me thru some tests first, like blood work and evaluation
process. Doctor said no sex now or I might have a heart attack. Please help me
with your advice, because I want to live and get my hypertension under control
and still have sex.
A. Sexual activity can cause heart cardiovascular problems in
those who have weak hearts or uncontrolled hypertension. Much depends on how
fast and hard the heart is beating during sexual activity. If there is no
significant change in heart beat or heart rate during the oral sex activity, it
would be okay, but the final decision rests on you and your doctor.
Q. I am a Family Physician in Toronto, Canada. My
husband suffers with hypertension and hypokalemia due to primary
hyperaldosteronism. He is on Amlodipine, Amiloride and Magnesium Oxyde, but his
BP is still high and his potassium is barely kept at the lower limit of normal.
Is there any hope for alternative medicine to improve his condition?
A natural alternative herbal therapy would suit her so well.
A. There may be hope, you may find some of the suggestions on this
hypertension page to be helpful.
Q. Does
tongkat ali cause hypertension?
A. High dosages may elevate blood pressure.
Q. I am in my late forties and just starting my menopause i also have
hypertension and i am taking medication for it but i notice that my sex drive is
not what it use to be i would like to start taking herbal aphrodisiac sex
tablets but i would like to know if it is okay.
A. Some herbal
aphrodisiacs raise
blood pressure in high dosages. If your doctor approves, you can begin with any
of a number of aphrodisiac herbs and begin with a portion of a capsule and
monitor your blood pressure.
Q. My dad also have a hypertension problem and
uses medication. Can you suggest me one product for hypertension as well? How
much he need to use?
A. Since we can't give specific medical advice, we suggest your
doctor read this page on hypertension and guide your decision.
Q. The combo of carnitine, lipoic acid, and Co Q10
works fabulously for blood pressure in conjunction with my Diovan HCT. It has
kept me from having to increase doses or adding another med.
A. There are a number of underused supplements for blood pressure
control and I wish more doctors were familiar with them.
Q. Does the herb yohimbe bark
cause hypertension elevations?
A. Yes, it does.
Q. Is garlic a natural alternative herbal therapy
for hypertension?
A. Garlic can reduce blood pressure by a small amount and is
beneficial in those looking for vitamins and natural supplements for natural hypertension
reduction.
I have been taking Omega Q Plus for several months for
high B/P however I have not seen any results as far as lowering it. I added
Nattokinase and that a\so hasnt done anything as far as high Blood pressure. My
Dr. has tried different drugs and they also do not bring it down. Today it is
194/102 pulse rate 73. How long does it take to see omega plus work?
Supplements, if they are effective, should start working
within the first few weeks. Perhaps other supplements or lifestyle changes are
appropriate.