Useful High Blood Pressure Supplements

Are you seeking useful hypertension or high blood pressure supplements?

A naturopathic approach to hypertension treatment can benefit from the selective use of supplements shown to effectively lower blood pressure. These include calcium, vitamin D, potassium, coenzyme Q10, and flaxseed meal.

Do note that, generally speaking, we much prefer the consumption of supplements made from whole foods (e.g. garlic pills), as supposed to single-substance supplements (e.g. selenium capsules).

Calcium has been shown to inversely affect blood pressure. If your diet lacks calcium (this may be especially true if one is lactose intolerant), the supplemental form may be helpful. Calcium supplements include the typical calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium phosphate, and calcium lactate.

The form you choose will depend on several factors, including how you take your high blood pressure supplements (some must be taken with food), and how quickly you need to have the calcium absorbed. The various forms have varying percentages of calcium, ranging from 18 to 40 percent.

Coenzyme Q10 often becomes deficient in hypertension patients, so supplemental dosages can be used to restore the balance in the system. A powerful antioxidant, coenzyme Q-10 occurs naturally in human cells, most abundantly in the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and the heart. Many natural practitioners believe that the enzyme protects muscle cells from damage caused by impaired blood supply (as would be the case with hypertension). Co-Q-10 could thus be a useful supporting high blood pressure supplement.

Most of the world’s Co-Q-10 has been exported from Japan, and the supplement can be found in tablet or capsule form. One should not combine the supplement with drugs like Coumadin, or those used to lower blood sugar.

Flaxseed meal, with many of the same properties as flaxseed oil, has the benefit of being a good source of dietary fiber. Studies link diets high in fiber with reduced incidents of cardiovascular disease, and also aids the digestive process. Fiber can also assist in weight loss, as an individual can fill up faster on high-fiber foods, yet ingest fewer calories and eat less overall.

Linolenic acid, found in the essential omega 3 fatty acid complex through oils like cod liver oil or fish oil, appears to reduce triglycerides, and reduces the risk of death from heart attack, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and similar conditions. Note that some species of fish have higher concentrations of mercury; however, cod has been shown to have lower levels than species such as shark and swordfish, which are not generally used in supplement production.

Potassium has been shown to protect against kidney damage and strokes, two of the most common conditions resulting from high blood pressure. Potassium and magnesium work together to increase the secretion of sodium and excess fluids from the body. This makes potassium a potentially useful high blood pressure supplement.

Soy protein supplementation reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, making this another potentially useful high blood pressure supplement.

Taurine, a non essential amino acid, seems to have hypotensive effects. Vegetarians, who may not naturally take in sufficient quantities of taurine (normally found in animal rather than plant proteins, and abundant in shellfish) may wish to consider the supplemental form.

On the cellular level, taurine keeps potassium and magnesium in the cell, while keeping sodium out, thus working like a prescription diuretic, but without the harsh side effects and trauma to the cells. In treating hypertension, taurine reduces fluid retention, and thus normalizes blood pressure. In addition, taurine calms the sympathetic nervous system, and relieves arterial spasms. Blood pressure falls as the blood vessels relax. These various effects make taurine a possible effective high blood pressure supplement.

Calcium cannot be absorbed by the body if there exists an underlying vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplements can be especially helpful to those that spend most of the day indoors, as they will not have the opportunity to make the natural vitamin D that comes with exposure to the sun.

Also, as a person ages, the body creates vitamin D less efficiently. Many calcium supplements have now been fortified with vitamin D, as have certain products like milk, so taking the additional supplement may not be necessary.

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