Most people with high blood pressure know they should reduce the amount of salt they eat, cut back on the alcohol they drink, loose weight and stop smoking. They also know that it’s a good idea for them to exercise regularly. But most people with high blood pressure do not know that vitamins can play an important role in reducing their hypertension. This brief article will examine the relationship between some common vitamins and how they work to lower blood pressure.
1) Potassium helps to regulate the amount of sodium in your body. High levels of sodium in your system can raise your blood pressure by causing your body to retain water. This is exactly why your doctor tells you to reduce your salt intake when you have high blood pressure. Salt is the major source of sodium in most people’s diet. Some medical studies have shown that taking a potassium supplement or eating foods rich in potassium have a lowering effect on blood pressure. Bananas are one food source high in potassium.
2) Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) affects the body’s metabolism and is used by the body to produce energy. It is commonly sold as an over-the-counter vitamin supplement. CoQ10 has been shown to be effective in lowering systolic blood pressure. The systolic side of blood pressure is the higher number in the blood pressure reading. For example: If 120/80 is your blood pressure, then 120 is the systolic number. Although there are not any reported adverse side affects of CoQ10, you should inform your doctor before taking it.
3) Vitamin C is one of the most common vitamins that people use. But most people don’t take vitamin C to reduce their blood pressure because they aren’t aware of the beneficial effects that it has in this area. Vitamin C is usually taken by people to help boost their immune system, but it can also be effective in lowering high blood pressure when a dosage of 500 milligrams per day is taken for at least one month. Although the mechanism by which vitamin C lowers blood pressure is not fully understood, one theory is that it helps maintain nitric oxide levels in the body. Nitric oxide is naturally occurring in the body and relaxes the blood vessels, maintaining healthy blood pressure.
4) Garlic is really a herb, not a vitamin. But it is used as a dietary supplement and can be bought at most pharmacies and vitamin stores. A garlic rich diet not only lowers blood pressure but has other cardiovascular benefits. Garlic thins the blood and reduces stress on the heart by allowing it to pump with less force. A study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham showed that garlic lowers blood pressure by releasing certain compounds into the blood stream. These compounds interact with blood cells to create small amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the blood vessels which causes them to relax. The relaxed vessels provide less resistance to the blood pumping through them, thereby reducing blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, then you may be aware of some of the risk factors that contribute to this common health problem. Smoking, drinking, being overweight, and having a high salt diet are all risk factors that contribute to hypertension. Taking your blood pressure medication as prescribed, and reducing these risk factors can help you keep your blood pressure under control. And now you can add another weapon to your arsenal in the fight against high blood pressure – vitamins.
Sources:
http://www.wellsphere.com/vitamins-supplements-article/can-vitamins-affect-high-blood-pressure/524221–Can Vitamins Affect High Blood Pressure?–Wellsphere Health
http://www.inspiredliving.com/heart-cardio/coQ10-high-blood-pressure.htm–Coenzyme Q10 Improves High Blood Pressure by Natt Brignall, N.D.–Inspired Living
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/12/991221080724.htm–Vitamin C Can Reduce High Blood Pressure, Study Finds–Science Daily
http://www.newsmax.com/health/garlic_blood_pressure_/2007/10/17/41596.html–Garlic Lowers High Blood Pressure–Newsmax.com
