In a study by the University of Maine and others, scientists have uncovered a promising way to tackle high blood pressure that doesn’t respond well to regular medicine.
This method is not only simple but also seems quite effective – it involves using B vitamins.
Around 12.8% of people worldwide struggle with what doctors call ‘drug-resistant hypertension’. This is a fancy way of saying their blood pressure stays high despite taking different kinds of blood pressure medicines.
The goal for healthy blood pressure is usually below 140/90 mmHg, but with new standards setting it at 130/80 mmHg, getting blood pressure under control has become even trickier.
This is where homocysteine, a compound in our body, comes into play. Homocysteine levels are supposed to be regulated by vitamins like B6, B12, folate, and riboflavin (B2).
However, sometimes due to genetic reasons or lack of these vitamins, homocysteine levels can rise. High homocysteine is bad news because it can mess with the production of nitrous oxide, leading to tightening of small blood vessels.
This tightening is a culprit in not only high blood pressure but also heart disease, strokes, and even some brain disorders.
The good news is that lowering homocysteine can be as easy as taking vitamin supplements. This is a big deal because it’s a relatively cheap and accessible solution.
The recent research has been looking into this and finding that it works well. By supplementing with vitamins B2, B6, folate, and B12, blood pressure can potentially drop by a significant 6 to 13 mmHg.
Now, there’s a bit of a debate about what the ‘normal’ level of homocysteine should be. Right now, the benchmark is at or below 10 μmol/L, but some labs say up to 11.4 μmol/L is fine. Scientists argue that we need to revisit these numbers and maybe set even stricter standards.
This vitamin treatment could be a game-changer for people whose blood pressure just won’t budge with usual medications.
However, it’s important to remember that this should be done under the guidance of a doctor or healthcare professional. It’s not a DIY project but rather a potential addition to existing treatments for stubborn high blood pressure.
This insightful research, led by Merrill Elias and his team, was published in the American Journal of Hypertension. It sheds light on a simple yet potentially powerful tool in our fight against one of the world’s most common health issues.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrient that could strongly lower high blood pressure, and results showing this novel antioxidant may help reverse blood vessels aging by 20 years.
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