Vitamin C Lowers Blood Pressure

Increasing your intake of vitamin C may lower your blood pressure levels, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Although many researchers believed that vitamin C could lower blood pressure, they say they lacked randomized studies to back up their beliefs. That may be changing. Researchers at Johns Hopkins analyzed data from 29 randomized, controlled, previously published clinical trials that reported systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure values and also compared vitamin C intake to a placebo. What they found is that taking an average of 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily — about five times the recommended daily requirement, but a rather modest amount in comparison to those recommended by many health practitioners — reduced blood pressure by 3.84 millimeters of mercury in the short term. Among those diagnosed with hypertension, the drop was nearly 5 millimeters of mercury. According to Dr. Edgar “Pete” R. Miller III, patients who take blood pressure medication such as ACE inhibitors or diuretics (so-called “water pills”) can expect a drop of about 10 millimeters of mercury in blood pressure. A drop of 5 millimeters could be vital to millions of Americans. About 68 million — approximately 1 in 3 adults — have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk for heart disease and stroke. SPECIAL: These 4 Things Happen Right Before a Heart Attack — Read More. Although the cardiovascular risk associated with high blood pressure has been known for many years, medical experts are realizing that even slightly elevated levels are risky. A recent review of 12 studies published in the journal Neurology found that people whose blood pressure was only slightly elevated — a condition called prehypertension — had a 55 percent greater risk of suffering a stroke than those whose blood pressure was normal. Doctors usually recommend a combination of lifestyle changes (such as losing weight and eating a healthier diet) and medications. The medications have a long list of side effects: Some are more of a nuisance, such as cold hands and feet, but others such as depression and erection problems can cause major interruptions to daily life. Vitamin C, which is a micronutrient found in fruits and vegetables, is not the only nutrient that's been found to lower blood pressure. Numerous double-blind placebo-controlled tests have discovered that a number of supplements lower blood pressure, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of The Blaylock Wellness Report. Dr. Blaylock recommends the following supplements: • Hawthorne • DHA • Flavonoids (quercetin/hesperidin) • Aged garlic extract • Coenzyme Q10 • L-carnitine • N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) • Alpha-lipoic acid (R-lipoic acid) • Ginkgo biloba • Magnesium/potassium/calcium • Green tea extract Recent studies have added even more natural weapons in the fight against high blood pressure. A study of people with prehypertension found that snacking on a handful of raisins three times a day helped lower their blood pressure levels. Researchers believe it's the high levels of potassium in raisins that do the trick. Another study found that consuming only 2.5 milligrams of isoflavones (A glass of soy milk contains 22 mg of isoflavones.) lowered blood pressure significantly.