Micronutrients And Plant Extracts Help Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure

04 / 23 / 2021

COVID-19 is not the only pandemic threatening the world right now. Metabolic syndrome (a combination of obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar) which has been rising for decades before COVID-19 deteriorates overall health making people prone to other acute and chronic diseases. According to the CDC, close to 50% of the adult population in the US already has high blood pressure and only 1 in 4 of them have it under control. Appropriately named as the “silent killer,” consistent high blood pressure damages multiple organ systems in the body. In addition to the increased risk of a fatal heart attack and stroke, hypertension is a cause of other debilitating conditions such as heart failure, kidney damage, and various eye problems including blindness. While there are a large number of antihypertensive medications, some of the most common ones are thiazide diuretics, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors. Most of these drugs are useful only for the temporary reduction of hypertension and are associated with a wide array of side effects. A very recent clinical trial conducted on more than 300,000 adults revealed that prolonged use of thiazides, including hydrochlorothiazide, was associated with a significantly increased risk of skin cancer.1

Conventional diagnosis of “essential hypertension” implies that the cause of high blood pressure is unknown. However, according to Dr. Rath the main cause of high blood pressure is a chronic deficiency of essential nutrients to the millions of smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessel walls. Nutrients such as vitamins C and D, the B complex, arginine, and magnesium supported by specific plant extracts help to maintain the strength and elasticity of blood vessels and thereby maintain optimum blood pressure. Plant extracts, specifically extract from the seeds of celery, have been clinically tested and proven to increase the elasticity of blood vessels, and relax them causing vasodilation which in turn reduces the blood pressure. Some of these mechanisms are very similar to pharmaceutical drugs without adverse effects. Most antihypertensive medicines excessively reduce blood pressure and reduce blood flow to the brain causing dizziness and fatigue. On the other hand, celery seed extract is known to increase blood flow to the brain which may reduce chances of dementia and stroke. Well known for its heart benefits, grape seed extract is seen to be especially beneficial for young people with metabolic syndrome. In addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, grape seed extract is effective in inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide. Similarly, extract from cloves has antioxidant properties and is also known to optimize blood pressure and improve heart health.

The in vitro studies conducted at the Dr. Rath Research Institute prove that a specific combination of nutrients and bioflavonoid extracts can regulate contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscle cells in the aorta which therefore helps to regulate blood pressure.2 Our in vivo studies showed that the synergistic nutrient mixture was able to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels in wild mice fed a high fructose diet.3 Additionally, we have also conducted a pilot clinical trial to study the effects of a synergistic nutrient supplementation in patients clinically diagnosed with essential hypertension. At the end of the 6-month study, 70% of patients showed a clear improvement in their blood pressure readings.
While lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet, exercise, and avoidance of habits such as consuming alcohol and smoking, are crucial for prevention of any disease, equally important is incorporating scientifically researched nutrient supplementation in the daily regimen.

Ref:
1. A. Drucker, et al. CMAJ Apr 2021, 193 (15)
2. V. Ivanov, et al., J Cardiovasc Pharmac 2005, 46(5): 570-6.
3. J. Cha, et al., Mol Med Rep, 2011

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