High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health problem that affects millions of people around the world.
It’s especially difficult to manage when regular medications don’t work well enough. But a recent study involving the University of Maine brings hope.
Researchers found that Vitamin B might help lower blood pressure by reducing levels of a substance in the body called homocysteine.
Let’s start by understanding what high blood pressure is. It happens when the force of blood against the walls of your arteries stays too high for too long. Doctors usually aim to keep blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. Recently, some experts have suggested an even lower target of below 130/80 mmHg, which can be even harder to reach for some people.
Some individuals have what’s called drug-resistant high blood pressure. That means their blood pressure stays high no matter how many different medications they try. About 12.8% of people globally have this condition, which puts them at greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious health issues.
This is where homocysteine becomes important. Homocysteine is a natural chemical made in the body. Normally, your body keeps it under control with the help of B vitamins like B6, B12, folate, and riboflavin (B2). But if you don’t get enough of these vitamins, or if you have a certain gene, homocysteine levels can rise.
High levels of homocysteine can make your small blood vessels narrower. This makes it harder for blood to flow and increases blood pressure.
The new research from the University of Maine found that taking extra B vitamins can lower homocysteine levels and help reduce blood pressure by about 6 to 13 mmHg. That’s a big difference, especially for people whose blood pressure hasn’t improved with medication.
There’s still some debate about what counts as a normal homocysteine level. Many labs consider anything below 11.4 μmol/L to be okay, but some experts argue that this number should be lowered to 10 μmol/L or less.
Taking B vitamin supplements could be a simple and low-cost way to help manage high blood pressure. This could be especially helpful for people who aren’t getting results from medicine alone.
However, it’s very important to talk to a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement. Even though vitamins seem harmless, they can cause problems if not taken the right way.
This study shows how important Vitamin B might be in treating tough cases of high blood pressure. Adding vitamins to a treatment plan could give patients a better chance at keeping their blood pressure under control. As science continues to learn more about how vitamins affect health, they may become a regular part of care for people with high blood pressure.
Still, always speak with your doctor before making changes to your treatment. What works well for one person might not be safe or effective for another.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about common blood pressure medication that may extend your healthy life span and common high blood pressure drug linked to sudden cardiac arrest.
For more information about blood pressure, please read studies that timing matters when taking high blood pressure pills and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure taking a drug worsen the disease.
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