High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, researchers have identified steps to help keep it within the healthy range (90/60 to 120/90). One of these steps could be to take a 500 mg vitamin C supplement. Although our requirements are well below this number (75 to 90 mg), a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the first to show the effect of 500 mg of Vitamin C to moderately reduce blood pressure.
The study and results
To shed insight upon the connections between vitamin C supplements and blood pressure levels, researchers analyzed and combined data from 29 previous randomised, controlled trials on this topic. The median length of the studies was eight weeks and the median dose of vitamin C was 500 mg per day.
Here are the following findings :
· In all participants, vitamin C supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure—the top number in a reading—by an average of 3.84, and reduced diastolic blood pressure—the bottom number—by an average of 1.48
· In participants particularly with high blood pressure, vitamin C supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure by 4.85, and lowered diastolic blood pressure by 1.67
Tips to maintain healthy blood pressure
· It’s important to know your numbers. High blood pressure has no obvious and clearly apparent symptoms. The only way to find out about your blood pressure is to get it checked.
· Eat well. Base your diet around lots of fresh vegetables and fruit and include two or three servings of dairy daily, and not necessarily the low-fat version. Good fat is taken out and replaced with sugar! Eat no more than a few servings of red meat per week, preferably high quality, organically raised. If it’s not in your budget, just leave it out.
· Forget table salt. A few flakes of sea salt will do the trick. Limit processed foods high in sodium (salt), and up your potassium intake. You can do this by including green leafy vegetables, beans and lentils, low-sodium tomato juice and sauce, oranges and orange juice, prunes and plums, bananas, apricots and raisins.
· Keep physically active. Walk wherever your feet take you. Leave your car in the drive way. That will help you keep blood pressure lower, it will help you control your weight, which is quite important because being overweight is a high blood pressure risk factor. Enjoy life!
