Transform Your Blood Pressure with This One Simple Diet Change – Dodo Finance

New research suggests that consuming a low-sodium diet could significantly lower blood pressure in individuals with or without hypertension, as well as in those already taking blood pressure medications. These findings, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and conducted by Dr. Deepak Gupta at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, could have important implications for public health.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects approximately half of all Americans. It is defined as systolic readings consistently over 130 mm Hg or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or higher. While sodium is essential for the body, consuming too much can contribute to high blood pressure. However, the sensitivity of blood pressure to sodium varies from person to person, making it challenging to determine a healthy amount of sodium in one’s diet.

Interestingly, most studies on low-sodium diets have not included individuals taking blood pressure-lowering medications, leaving a gap in understanding how reducing sodium intake would affect these individuals. Dr. Gupta’s study aimed to fill this gap by examining the effect of dietary sodium on blood pressure in 213 participants, aged 50-75, with normal or high blood pressure. Some participants were already taking medication for high blood pressure.

Participants were randomly assigned to a high- or low-sodium diet for one week. Those on the high-sodium diet added 2,200 mg of sodium per day, while those on the low-sodium diet received low-sodium meals, snacks, and beverages, totaling an average of 500 mg of sodium per day. Blood pressure measurements were taken after one week on each diet.

The results were significant. Nearly 75% of participants had lower systolic blood pressure on the low-sodium diet, with an average drop of 7 mm Hg. Even those with normal blood pressure experienced a reduction. The study also found that reducing sodium intake had a comparable effect on blood pressure to common medications for high blood pressure.

These findings indicate that consuming less sodium could have health benefits for a wide range of individuals, including those already taking blood pressure-lowering medications. It also suggests that any reduction in sodium from the current usual diet is likely to be beneficial for most individuals.

The research was funded by various branches of the NIH, including the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The American Heart Association also provided funding for the study. These findings reinforce the importance of considering sodium intake in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health.