A current research study reveals that decreasing salt consumption can considerably reduce high blood pressure, even in people on high blood pressure medication. By reducing salt intake by about one teaspoon each day, individuals experienced a noteworthy drop in systolic high blood pressure, stressing the important function of diet plan in handling high blood pressure.
Most everybody can reduce high blood pressure by decreasing salt consumption, even those on BP drugs.
Nearly everybody can reduce their high blood pressure, even individuals presently on blood pressure-reducing drugs, by decreasing their salt consumption. This is according to a brand-new research study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Northwestern Medicine, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“In the study, middle-aged to elderly participants reduced their salt intake by about one teaspoon a day compared with their usual diet. The result was a decline in systolic blood pressure by about 6 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which is comparable to the effect produced by a commonly utilized first-line medication for high blood pressure,” stated Deepak Gupta, M.D., MSCI, associate teacher of Medicine at VUMC and co-principal detective.
“We found that 70-75% of all people, regardless of whether they are already on blood pressure medications or not, are likely to see a reduction in their blood pressure if they lower the sodium in their diet,” stated co-principal detective Norrina Allen,Ph D., MILES PER HOUR, teacher of Preventive Medicine at < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Northwestern University</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Established in 1851, Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university based in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Northwestern is known for its McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Kellogg School of Management, Feinberg School of Medicine, Pritzker School of Law, Bienen School of Music, and Medill School of Journalism. </div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >NorthwesternUniversityFeinbergSchool of(******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* ).
(************************ )This research study was amongst the most comprehensive research studies to take a look at the effect of dietary salt decrease on high blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, consisting of those currently on medication.Previously, it was uncertain if individuals on high blood pressure medication might even more lower their high blood pressure by decreasing their salt consumption.This is among the biggest research studies to examine the impact of decreasing salt in the diet plan on high blood pressure to consist of individuals with high blood pressure and currently on medications.
“We previously didn’t know if people already on blood pressure medication could actually lower their blood pressure more by reducing their sodium,” statedAllen, likewise theQuentin D.YoungProfessor ofHealthPolicy, and director of theCenter forEpidemiology andPopulationHealth atNorthwestern
The research study was released onNovember11 in theJournal of theAmericanMedicalAssociation and was all at once provided at the(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )(*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )(*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )(***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )(*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )(******************************************************************************************************************* )in Philadelphia.
Deepak Gupta, MD, MSCI, associate teacher of Medicine at VUMC and co-principal detective. Credit: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
The overall day-to-day salt consumption advised by the AHA is to be listed below 1,500 milligrams, and this research study was created to reduce it even lower than that, Allen stated. “It can be challenging, but reducing your sodium in any amount will be beneficial,” she stated.
High high blood pressure is the leading reason for morbidity and death worldwide. “High blood pressure can lead to heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes because it puts extra pressure on your arteries,” Allen stated. “It affects the heart’s ability to work effectively and pump blood.”
How the Study Worked
Middle- age to senior people in their 50 s to 70 s from Birmingham, Alabama, and Chicago were randomized to either a high-sodium diet plan (2,200 mg each day on top of their typical diet plan) or low-sodium diet plan (500 mg in overall each day) for one week, after which they crossed over to the opposite diet plan for one week.
On the day before each research study go to, individuals used high blood pressure displays and gathered their urine for 24 hours. Among 213 individuals, systolic high blood pressure was considerably reduced by 7 to 8 mm Hg when they consumed the low-sodium diet plan compared to high-sodium diet plan, and by 6 mm Hg compared to their typical diet plan.
Overall, 72% of individuals experienced a lowering of their systolic high blood pressure on the low-sodium diet plan compared to their typical diet plan.
Results and Conclusions
“The effect of reduction in dietary sodium on blood pressure lowering was consistent across nearly all individuals, including those with normal blood pressure, high blood pressure, treated blood pressure, and untreated blood pressure,” Gupta stated.
“Just as any physical activity is better than none for most people; any sodium reduction from the current usual diet is likely better than none for most people with regards to blood pressure,” he stated.
“This reinforces the importance of reduction in dietary sodium intake to help control blood pressure, even among individuals taking medications for hypertension,” Allen included.
The blood pressure-lowering impact of dietary salt decrease was attained quickly and securely within one week.
Public Health Implications
“The fact that blood pressure dropped so significantly in just one week and was well tolerated is important and emphasizes the potential public health impact of dietary sodium reduction in the population, given that high blood pressure is such a huge health issue worldwide,” stated co-investigator Cora Lewis, MD, MSPH, teacher and chair of the Department of Epidemiology, and teacher of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“It is particularly exciting that the products we used in the low sodium diet are generally available, so people have a real shot at improving their health through improving their diet in this way,” Lewis stated.
Reference: “Effect of Dietary Sodium on Blood Pressure: A Crossover Trial” by Deepak K. Gupta, Cora E. Lewis, Krista A. Varady, Yan Ru Su, Meena S. Madhur, Daniel T. Lackland, Jared P. Reis, Thomas J. Wang, Donald M. Lloyd-Jones and Norrina B. Allen, 11 November 2023, JAMA
DOI: 10.1001/ jama.202323651
Other authors consist of Krista Varady,Ph D., Yan Ru Su, M.D., Meena Madhur, M.D.,Ph D., Daniel Lackland,Ph D., Jared Reis,Ph D., Thomas Wang, M.D., and Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D.
The research study was supported by grant R01 HL148661 and agreements 75 N92023 D00005 and 75 N92023 D00004 from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>National Institutes of Health</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in 1887, it is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH conducts its own scientific research through its Intramural Research Program (IRP) and provides major biomedical research funding to non-NIH research facilities through its Extramural Research Program. With 27 different institutes and centers under its umbrella, the NIH covers a broad spectrum of health-related research, including specific diseases, population health, clinical research, and fundamental biological processes. Its mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >NationalInstitutes ofHealth
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