[PHNUTR-L] Change your diet to reduce your BP

[Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD]

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Change your diet to reduce your BP

By Stephen Daniells
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=65532&m=2nie202&c=xeiqgoegavfxtla


01/02/2006 - A new statement on diet from the American Heart Association 
emphasises weight loss, cutting back on salt and alcohol and increasing 
dietary potassium as viable ways to reduce blood pressure, but does not 
recommend the use of supplements.

Although there is a growing body of studies (animal, observational and 
clinical) suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids supplements, fibre 
supplements, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C are associated with lower 
BP, the AHA claims that the current data are insufficient or unclear.

Hypertension, defined as having a systolic and diastolic BP greater than 
140 and 90 mmHg, affects about 600 million people worldwide and is 
associated with over seven million deaths. Estimates indicate 27 per 
cent of the US adult population is hypertensive.

Studies have shown that lowering blood pressure slightly could have 
profound implications for health: it is thought that a mere three mmHg 
drop in systolic BP across in those with hypertension may translate into 
an eight per cent reduction in stroke mortality in the population as a 
whole, and a five per cent drop in deaths from coronary heart disease.

Losing weight, cutting back on salt intake, and drinking less alcohol 
are well established as a means to lower blood pressure, and the AHA is 
very much in favour of measures incorporated into the everyday diet, 
rather than dietary supplements.

In the scientific statement, published in the February issue of the 
journal Hypertension (Vol. 47, pp. 296-308), the AHA recommended 
increased potassium intake as a key hypertension preventative “because a 
high potassium intake can be achieved through diet rather than pills, 
the preferred strategy to increase potassium intake is to consume foods 
such as fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium, rather than 
supplements.”

Clinical trials for omega-3 fatty acids have reported BP reductions in 
people with hypertension, but the effect appeared to be dose dependent 
and relatively high (greater than three grams per day). At such doses 
side effects like belching and a fishy taste were recorded, which 
discouraged the AHA from recommending omega–3 supplements.

The British Heart Foundation, on the other hand, recommends eating oily 
fish at least twice a week “to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease 
and to improve the chances of survival after a heart attack.”

Results from studies involving fibre, calcium or magnesium supplements 
appear inconclusive with observational studies reporting positive 
associations while small clinical trials reported no link.

Similar inconsistencies were reported for vitamin C observation studies 
and clinical trials.

While the evidence may be insufficient or unclear for these supplements 
for lowering BP, no reports were mentioned that suggest they could 
increase BP, which is good news for many consumers taking supplements of 
omega-3, vitamin C, or magnesium for other health reasons.

“A substantial body of evidence strongly supports the concept that 
multiple dietary factors affect BP. Dietary modifications that 
effectively lower BP are weight loss, reduced salt intake, increased 
potassium intake, and consumption of an overall healthy diet,” said the 
statement.

“Other dietary factors may also affect BP, but the effects are small 
and/or the evidence is uncertain.”

Dr John Hathcock, vice president, scientific & international affairs 
from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), stressed that the 
conclusions drawn in the review concerning supplements should not be 
over-interpreted.

Hathcock told NutraIngredients-USA.com: “For omega-3 there is clearly an 
important effect which could support omega-3 supplements. However, the 
effects of omega-3 are clearly not large enough to be dependable on 
their own to reduce hypertension.”

Both calcium and vitamin C had clear and important effects, according to 
Hathcock, but again no one should think of taking a supplement of either 
in the belief that it would reduce their blood pressure.

“For potassium, the levels required could not be taken by 
supplementation. It is a cause and effect situation for potassium since 
high potassium diets tend to be low sodium diets, which have been shown 
to help people with hypertension,” he said.
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian"  http://www.parkinson.org/
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