High blood pressure is a serious health problem all over the world. It raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and early death.
Many people find it hard to control their blood pressure, even when they take medicine and try to live a healthier life.
But a new study from Emory University has found a simple and surprising idea—adding minerals like calcium and magnesium to drinking water.
The study began in coastal Bangladesh. People there drink different types of water. Some drink from ponds, while others drink groundwater, which often has more salt in it.
The researchers, led by Abu Mohammed Naser, noticed something unexpected: people who drank salty water had lower blood pressure than those who drank fresh water. This was strange because salt usually makes blood pressure go up.
To find out why this happened, the researchers tested urine samples from the people in the study. They found that those drinking salty water had higher levels of calcium and magnesium in their bodies. This suggested that these minerals—not the salt—might be helping to lower blood pressure.
This idea fits with earlier research. Calcium helps blood vessels tighten and relax the right way, and magnesium keeps them relaxed and helps blood flow better. So, both minerals are important for keeping blood pressure in a healthy range.
Because of these findings, the researchers believe that adding calcium and magnesium to drinking water could be an easy way to help people lower their blood pressure. This could be especially helpful in places where people can’t easily get medical care or blood pressure medicine.
However, the researchers say more studies are needed to make sure this method works and to find the best way to add these minerals to water safely.
High blood pressure affects about half of all adults in the U.S. and is one of the top causes of early death around the world. Simple and affordable ways to reduce blood pressure could save many lives.
If more research confirms these results, health officials might one day decide to add calcium and magnesium to tap water—just like fluoride is added to help protect teeth.
This study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, shows that small changes, like improving the minerals in drinking water, could make a big difference in keeping people healthy and lowering the risk of heart problems.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
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