Recently, researchers from University of Houston show that plant-based products cannot lower blood pressure.
Plant-based products include chemical supplements like resveratrol, sulforaphane and curcumin.
The team found that plant products per se or traditional antioxidants like vitamins failed to have a positive impact on renal or cardiovascular health during clinical studies.
High blood pressure is a common condition that can cause uncommon damage. With each beat of the heart, blood is pushed through arteries to the rest of the body. That’s force, or pressure.
If that pressure is too high, either because of the amount of blood the heart pumps or the amount of resistance to pumping it, health problems including heart disease and stroke can occur.
It is well known that kidneys, or the renal system, regulate sodium and blood pressure.
In the kidneys, oxidative stress could cause high blood pressure mostly through poor sodium regulation.
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage cells) and the body’s ability to counteract their threats.
In human body, peptide Angiotensin 1-7 can relieve oxidative stress and drive blood pressure back into normal ranges.
Since its discovery in 1988, the Angiotensin 1-7 peptide has been linked to protective roles in cardiovascular disease and in the health of the kidney, brain and other organs.
The team collected experimental evidence to suggest Angiotensin 1-7 could protect kidney cells from oxidative stress and reduce blood pressure.
Eventually, a pill that could activate Angiotensin 1-7 signaling will be a better alternative to currently available medication.
The researchers suggest that effective therapy for high blood pressure is important and therapy with fewer side effects would be a plus.
If Angiotensin 1-7 is found to be effective, it will avoid many of the side effects which limit the use of existing drugs.
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News source: University of Houston.
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