11 Best Supplements To Lower Blood Pressure
Modifying your lifestyle by incorporating healthy practices is the first step to control blood pressure. Sometimes the food that you intake might not provide adequate nutrients to support your body, and that is when you can take them in the form of natural supplements. Specific Vitamins and minerals are referred to as natural blood pressure pills that are known to help lower your blood pressure effectively.
Read further to know about the natural supplements that lower blood pressure and how to obtain them through food.
Disclaimer: The information and contents provided below are for informational purposes only and not a substitute for a professional recommendation. Kindly consult your healthcare practitioner before taking any of these supplements.
11 Best supplements to lower blood pressure:
1. Magnesium:
We all know that excess sodium in the blood contributes to high BP. When you take magnesium supplements, it functions as a natural calcium channel blocker and reduces calcium and sodium levels within the cells. This improves the lining of the heart and blood vessels and promotes dilation, easing blood flow. You can take about 500mg to 1000mg of magnesium in a day to see a visible difference in your blood pressure values.
Natural sources of magnesium:
- Dark chocolate
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds
- Beans
- Soy paneer
- Whole grains like oats, barley, quinoa etc.
- Bananas
- Leafy greens
Magnesium is beneficial in preventing hypertension and also as an adjunct to standard antihypertensive therapy. It also enhances the BP-lowering activity of other blood pressure medications when taken together.
2. Calcium:
Calcium helps lower blood pressure among pregnant women. High calcium intake during pregnancy can prevent high BP related complications during childbirth and reduce the risk of long-term hypertension.
Natural sources of calcium:
- Low-fat milk
- Paneer
- Broccoli
- Cereals
- Yoghurt
- Dried figs
- Orange
- Cheese
- Soybeans
3. Omega 3 fatty acids:
Omega 3 fatty acids increase the excitability of the heart by maintaining the function of ion channels and act against inflammation and stress. They improve the blood flow by decreasing the secretion of substances that induce inflammation and enhancing the rate of heart contraction and relaxation. The positive impact it creates on the lining of the heart blood vessels reduces the blood pressure.
Natural ways to supplement omega 3 fatty acids is through the consumption of the following foods:
- Fish oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Walnuts
- Eggs
- Flaxseeds
- Hemp
- Salmon
- Tuna
Omega 3 fatty acids are abundant in flax seeds, fish oil, walnuts etc. However, Omega 3 fatty acids supplements like Paradox Omega-3 Cardio are also available in tablets and capsules that are natural blood pressure pills.
4. Proteins, peptides, amino acids:
One of the most practical ways to include peptides, proteins and amino acids in your daily life is by consuming whey protein. Whey protein is a natural and rich source of amino acids and peptides that normalise the heart's inner lining and acts against the enzyme that increases blood pressure (angiotensin-converting enzyme).
L-arginine is an amino acid that naturally synthesizes nitric oxide, which is involved in several important mechanisms to maintain heart health.
Some of the natural ways to include protein and peptides in your diet are through consumption of the following foods:
- Tuna
- Fish
- Milk and milk products
Foods rich in l-arginine:
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Pumpkin seeds
- Milk
- Meat
- Whole grains
5. Vitamin C:
Supplementation of vitamin C is beneficial for delaying heart disease in high BP patients. Elderly patients who already take plenty of blood pressure medications shall benefit from 600mg of vitamin C supplementation every day. Supplementing vitamin C in hypertension also improves the effect of blood pressure medications you are already taking.
Fruits and vegetables are enriched with vitamin C. You can naturally lower your blood pressure if you include the following foods:
- Citrus fruits
- Kiwi
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
6. Soluble fibres:
Fibres promote the absorption of nutrients by the body, maintain glucose and cholesterol levels and support heart health. Regular fibre intake reduces the risk of heart diseases by managing cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
Foods rich in soluble fibres:
- Oats
- Psyllium husk
- Guava
- Dry beans
- Lentils
7. Coenzyme Q10:
Co-enzyme Q10 assists the body in generating glucose and fatty acids for energy supply. The body's ability to produce coenzyme Q10 declines with age, and this is when dietary supplementation becomes necessary.
Coenzyme Q10 converts into its reduced form called ubiquinol and takes part in circulation. It works by improving heart function, inhibiting factors responsible for inflammation and reducing oxidative stress.
Foods that contain Coenzyme Q10:
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Beef liver
- Oily fish
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Oranges
100-300mg of Coenzyme q10 is sufficient to reduce blood pressure. This supplement is available in the market as tablets and capsules.
8. Melatonin:
Melatonin is a natural hormone generally secreted at night to maintain the heart rhythm and sleep pattern. If you are a hypertensive patient taking a medication called beta-blockers, the chances are that your melatonin secretion is inhibited. You can overcome this by supplementing melatonin in foods.
2-5mg of melatonin per day improves your sleep quality and reduces the chance of high BP at night. You can also obtain adequate melatonin supplementation naturally through mushrooms, cereals, eggs, fish and nuts.
9. Garlic extract:
Garlic is rich in sulfides that help in relaxing smooth muscles and blood vessels to lower blood pressure. Lack of sulphur in the body might contribute to high blood pressure, and this could be alleviated through sulphur-containing foods like garlic.
10. Probiotics:
Sometimes, an unhealthy lifestyle and bad dietary habits take a toll on intestinal health. Our intestine has more than a trillion cells of microorganisms that benefit digestive health. If the composition and diversity of the good bacteria are disturbed, it leads to the release of inflammatory factors that negatively impact arteries, kidneys and blood pressure.
Probiotics refer to the live microorganisms like bacteria and yeast that help maintain the natural balance of good microbes in the intestine once consumed.
One of the best ways to include probiotics in your diet is through the consumption of fermented foods. Few of the most popular fermented foods are:
- Fermented milk
- Fermented soybean
- Fermented rice bran
11. Taurine:
Taurine is naturally present as amino acids in the heart, brain, kidneys, blood vessels, intestine and muscles. Supplementation of taurine provides several health benefits. It protects the cells and prevents disorders like hypertension, diabetes, vision problems, infertility, obesity etc. In patients with mild hypertension, it dilates the blood vessels, improves blood flow and reduces blood pressure.
Natural sources of taurine:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Tuna
If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you may need to take taurine supplement, the recommended dose is one capsule once or twice a day.
Stay healthy with right supplements:
High blood pressure is often regarded as "the silent killer" due to its ability to induce several health complications. You can decrease your blood pressure naturally by implementing lifestyle changes and consuming nutritious foods. Vitamins and minerals are like natural pills that lower blood pressure and these nutrients can be obtained from foods. If you are keen on lowering your blood pressure naturally, ensure that you consume adequate unprocessed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.
