In an Emory University study, researchers found that adding two essential minerals to drinking water may help lower blood pressure.
The two minerals are calcium and magnesium. The research was conducted by a team from Emory University.
Currently, high blood pressure is the leading preventable cause of premature death in the world.
Almost half of all adults in the U.S. need to control their high blood pressure. It is important to find a simple method to help them.
In the study, the team found that adding calcium and magnesium to drinking water may help lower blood pressure levels across the population.
They examined how drinking water sources influence the health of people in an area of coastal Bangladesh.
The people used pond water or groundwater in daily life.
The researchers examined blood pressure levels in people who drank salinated water and people who drank fresh water.
They found that surprisingly, study participants who drank the salinated water had lower blood pressure.
People who drank mildly salinated water had average systolic blood pressure levels of 1.55 mmHg lower than those who drank freshwater. Their average diastolic blood pressure levels were 1.26 mmHg lower.
This seems against the fact that sodium can increase blood pressure levels.
The team then tested the urine samples in these people and found higher levels of calcium and magnesium in their bodies.
The researchers attributed this to drinking salinated water.
They believe that the lower blood pressure levels were not caused by the sodium, but the calcium and magnesium.
They suggest that calcium and magnesium are protective and they decrease blood pressure.
This is consistent with previous research, which has shown that both calcium and magnesium are important for maintaining good blood pressure.
The team suggests that adding these minerals to drinking water could be an effective way to control blood pressure and help people with a high risk of the disease.
Future work needs to confirm the findings and find out how to add minerals to water to benefit people.
The lead author of the study is Abu Mohammed Naser, a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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