Vitamins to Lower Blood Pressure – the Most Comprehensive List on the Web
If you suffer from high blood pressure, you have most likely tried all the usual medications and found which suits you best. You have probably tried traditional methods too, such as losing weight, regular exercise, reducing salt consumption, and an increasingly fresh diet. But did you know that there are also vitamins to lower blood pressure, which are a great natural way to relieve hypertension? Here we present you with a list of these vitamins, as well as some minerals that can help lower your blood pressure more naturally.
1) Vitamin C. Besides its other healing and preventative properties for colds and flu, it is also one of the best vitamins that lower blood pressure. The way it does that is prevent harmful free radicals from eating away at artery walls. Also, it assists with repairing existing artery damage, and prevents more plaque from bad cholesterol depositing in the damaged areas of the arteries. Finally, vitamin C has been shown to raise the HDL (good cholesterol) levels.
2) Vitamin E. This one is next on our list of vitamins to lower blood pressure, as it is probably the most powerful antioxidant in the fatty cells. It helps lower blood pressure, as well as decrease the risk of heart disease, by keeping your arteries protected from oxidized LDL cholesterol.
3) Vitamin A. This is another important one of the vitamins that lower blood pressure, because it prevents plaque from blocking your arteries (which comes from LDL “bad” cholesterol). However, you should be careful not to take too much Vitamin A, because in high doses it can be toxic. The recommended dose is 5,000 international units per day for high blood pressure.
4) Potassium. This is a good mineral that helps lower blood pressure, as it stops sodium levels from increasing in the body. Good natural sources of potassium are potatoes, bananas, and milk.
5) Calcium. While mostly known for strengthening teeth and bones, another benefit of calcium is that it helps the body keep its blood pressure at healthy levels. In addition, calcium helps with nerve transmission, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and relaxation, all of which have something to do with blood pressure.
6) Magnesium. Did you know that one of the reasons for high blood pressure is magnesium deficiency? What magnesium does in the body is regulate various chemical reactions, as well as assist calcium in blood clotting and muscle contraction. You should watch your intake of magnesium if you suffer from high blood pressure. Your daily dose should be 420 mg if you are male, and 320 mg if you are female. Otherwise your body will start using magnesium from your bones. Some great natural sources of magnesium include broccoli, spinach, legumes, sunflower seeds, cashews, milk, and halibut.
For more information on blood pressure, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_pressure
http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/Home
The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.
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 High Blood Pressure 7 Apr 2011 |
