Grape Seed Extract Lowers Blood Pressure

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Two out of three very obese kids already have heart disease risk factors: High blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose evident even in under-12s

ScienceDaily (July 23, 2012) — Two out of three severely obese kids already have at least one risk factor for heart disease, suggests research published online in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

See Also:Health & MedicineHeart DiseaseObesityHypertensionCholesterolChildren's HealthDiet and Weight LossReferenceDiabetes mellitus type 2Body mass indexAdipose tissueLow density lipoprotein

The prevalence and severity of childhood obesity has been rising worldwide, but little research has been carried out on the underlying health problems that children with severe weight problems have, say the authors.

They base their findings on data supplied by pediatricians to the Dutch Paediatric Surveillance Unit between 2005 and 2007.

During this period, doctors treating all new cases of severe obesity in children from the ages of 2 to 18 across The Netherlands were asked to supply information on their patients' cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, fasting blood glucose levels, and blood fats (lipids).

The definition of severe obesity started at a body mass index (BMI) of 20.5 for a 2 year old, at 31 for a 12 year old, and at 35 for an 18 year old.

Over the three years, most (87% to 94%) of pediatricians submitted their monthly findings on every severely obese child they treated to the surveillance unit, providing information on 500 children in all.

When pediatricians were contacted again, with a request for further data, 363 responded and 307 of their children were correctly classified as severely obese.

Just over half (52%) of these 307 children were boys. They tended to be more severely obese at the younger end of the age spectrum; the reverse was true of girls. Full information on cardiovascular risk factors was available for 255 (83%).

Two out of three (67%) had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Over half (56%) had high blood pressure; a similar proportion (54%) had high levels of low density 'bad' cholesterol; one in seven (14%) had high fasting blood glucose; and just under 1 per cent already had type 2 diabetes.

And "remarkably" say the authors, almost two thirds (62%) of those aged 12 and under had one or more cardiovascular risk factors. Only one child's obesity was attributable to medical rather than lifestyle factors.

Nearly one in three severely obese children came from one parent families.

"The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in

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Many Teens With High Blood Pressure Don't Get Needed Tests

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Teens' Lifestyle Choices Affect Their Blood Pressure

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Effects of High Blood Pressure Drug May Mimic Celiac Disease

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Too much salt may damage blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure

ScienceDaily (June 18, 2012) — Eating a high-salt diet for several years may damage blood vessels -- increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

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People with this type of blood vessel damage who eat a high-salt diet are more likely to develop hypertension, or high blood pressure . This research hints at the presence of a "sodium amplification loop" in which eating too much salt for a long time damages blood vessels, leading to a greater chance of developing high blood pressure if the high-salt diet is continued.

Researchers didn't assess the cause-and-effect relationship between salt intake and high blood pressure. But the study's results "add to the considerable evidence that a diet heavy on salt is closely linked to high blood pressure," said John Forman, M.D., lead author of the study and a nephrologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.

"In addition, this study reinforces guidelines backed by the American Heart Association and other professional organizations that recommend reducing salt consumption to minimize the risk of developing high blood pressure," Forman said.

One gram of sodium is equal to 2.5 grams of table salt (sodium chloride).

Researchers conducted an observational study (PREVEND) in which they tracked the sodium intake of 5,556 men and women from the general population of Groningen, Netherlands. Sodium intake was assessed by collecting multiple 24-hour urine samples, which is considered the optimal method to measure sodium intake.

Researchers analyzed the association between sodium consumption and blood levels of uric acid and albumin in the urine -- both markers of blood vessel damage -- in participants not taking high blood pressure medicine.

During a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 878 new hypertension diagnoses were made.

Higher sodium intake was associated with increasing levels of uric acid and albumin over time. The higher the levels of these markers, the greater the risk of developing hypertension if dietary salt intake was high, researchers found. Compared with participants eating the least amount of sodium (about 2,200 milligrams a day), those eating the most (about 6,200 mg/d) were 21 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure. However, those who had high uric acid levels and ate the most salt were 32 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure while those with high urine albumin levels and highest salt intake were 86 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure.

A high-salt diet is believed to be responsible for 20 percent to 40 percent of all cases of high blood pressure in the United States.

Because the study involved only European Caucasians, the results should be replicated in Hispanics, African-Americans and others in the United States; however, other researchers have found a link between a high-salt diet and high blood pressure in these other populations, Forman said.

Co-authors are Lieneke Scheven, M.D.; Paul de Jong, M.D.; Stephan Bakker, Ph.D.; Gary Curhan, M.D.; and Ron Gansevoort, M.D.

The American Heart Association, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease, and the Dutch Kidney Foundation funded the study.

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Common blood pressure drug linked to severe gastrointestinal problems

ScienceDaily (June 21, 2012) — Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered an association between a commonly prescribed blood pressure drug, Olmesartan, and severe gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities -- symptoms common among those who have celiac disease. The findings are published online June 21 in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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From 2008-11, Mayo Clinic physicians treated 22 patients with symptoms similar to celiac disease, including intestinal inflammation and abnormalities. Patients came from 17 states, and some had been diagnosed with celiac disease. They had chronic diarrhea and weight loss; the median weight loss was 39 pounds, and one patient lost 125 pounds. Fourteen of the 22 were hospitalized because of the severity of their symptoms. When given a blood test, however, these patients didn't come back with results typical of celiac disease. They also didn't respond to treatments such as gluten-free diets.

After examining their medications, Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Joseph Murray, M.D., pulled several of the patients off Olmesartan. Their symptoms dramatically improved. Eventually, all 22 were taken off the drug, and all showed improvement. Eighteen of the 22 patients had intestinal biopsies after stopping the medication and showed improvement.

"We thought these cases were celiac disease initially because their biopsies showed features very like celiac disease, such as inflammation," says Dr. Murray, the lead author. "What made them different was they didn't have the antibodies in their blood that are typical for celiac disease."

Olmesartan -- prescribed for the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure -- works by blocking substances that tighten blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more smoothly and the heart to pump more efficiently, according to the U.S. National Library on Medicine.

"It's really an awareness issue. We want doctors to be aware of this issue, so if they see a patient who is having this type of syndrome -- they think about medications as a possible association," Dr. Murray says. "We've reported an association. What needs to be known next is the science to understand why there is such an association."

The investigators were supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, the American College of Gastroenterology Junior Faculty Development Award, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Research Council and the Fulbright Commission.

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Blood Pressure Drug: GI Side Effects?

Heat Wave Causes Class of 2012 Grads...More Health HeadlinesEating Disorders Not Just for YoungLove or Lust: Science Can TellAmerica's Safest Hospitals: Any Near You?Ariz. Woman Delivers Own Baby in CarIn The NewsArthritisAllergiesDr. Richard BesserCold & Flu Home> HealthBlood Pressure Drug Olmesartan Linked to Celiac Disease Side Effects in a Handful of PatientsBy CARRIE GANN (

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Long-Term Salty Diets Tied Again to High Blood Pressure

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago MONDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Indulging in a bag of chips or munching a handful of nuts now and then isn't likely to hurt you in the short run, but regularly chowing down on salty foods over several years may damage your blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure, a new study finds.

Researchers reporting in the June 18 online edition of Circulation said that eating too much salt over time may affect the lining of blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of developing high blood pressure.

"This study reinforces guidelines backed by the American Heart Association and other professional organizations that recommend reducing salt consumption to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure," said Dr. John Forman, lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can contribute to heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

Researchers tracked the salt intake of 5,556 white men and women from the Netherlands over about six years. None of the participants had high blood pressure at the study's start.

By analyzing 24-hour urine samples collected periodically over several years, the researchers noted the amount of uric acid and albumin in the urine, markers of blood vessel damage. They also tracked the amount of salt, or sodium, the participants ate by measuring how much sodium ended up in their urine.

The researchers found that, over time, people who ingested more sodium had more uric acid and albumin in their urine.

The higher the levels of uric acid and albumin, the more likely those people were to develop high blood pressure if they continued on high-sodium diets, the investigators found. Over the approximately six-year period of the study, 878 new cases of hypertension (high blood pressure) were discovered.

Compared with the participants eating the least amount of sodium (about 2,200 milligrams a day), those eating the most (6,200 mg a day) were 21 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure. Those who had high uric acid and albumin levels and ate the most salt were 86 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure.

How much salt is 2,200 milligrams of salt? About a teaspoon.

Much of the sodium the average American consumes comes from processed foods. Forman cautions that people who don't use salt shakers at the table shouldn't assume they're not getting too much sodium. One cup of soup or a single-serving frozen dinner can have 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

The study showed an association between the markers of blood vessel damage and high blood pressure, but not a cause-and-effect relationship.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, "the research shows that in some individuals, there is an association between these markers -- uric acid and albumin -- and the subsequent diagnosis of hypertension."

Why salt causes blood vessel damage -- called "endothelial dysfunction" -- is not fully understood, said Fonarow. "Sodium exposure may lead to progressive changes in the lining of the blood vessels, eventually becoming irreversible," he said.

"And once you've developed hypertension, lowering your salt intake most likely won't be enough to normalize your blood pressure," he said.

The study also suggests that those with markers of blood vessel damage may be more negatively affected by a high-salt diet than others.

The idea that salt influences the development of high blood pressure is considered controversial by some experts. A study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that lower amounts of sodium in urine were associated with more cardiovascular disease deaths.

In order to link high salt intake more closely to blood vessel damage and subsequent high blood pressure, Forman said it would be necessary to follow many people over about 20 years, ideally using ultrasound to directly assess blood vessel health.

Fonarow said the key to high blood pressure prevention is moderation and watchful management of other cardiovascular risks. "Avoid a high-salt diet, but also don't smoke, watch your weight, keep your cholesterol down and manage your blood pressure," he said. "Those factors are probably even more important."

Heart experts advise limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day, or 1,500 mg if you're black, over 50 years old or have certain chronic diseases. By reading Nutrition Facts labels closely, you can limit your sodium intake.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about high blood pressure.

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Personalized Blood Pressure Therapy May Help Diabetics

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive efforts to control blood pressure in people with diabetes may be leading to overtreatment with blood pressure drugs in some patients, a new study suggests.

Researchers examined data from nearly 1 million diabetes patients treated at Veterans Affairs health facilities across the United States and found that as many as 82 percent were receiving treatment to keep their blood pressure under control.

However, more than 8 percent of patients were possibly being overtreated to control their blood pressure, and 6 percent were not being treated as aggressively as they could be, the study found.

The findings, published online May 28 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, suggest that the current one-size-fits-all method of blood pressure control needs to be reconsidered, the researchers said.

This personalized approach should be possible with the help of electronic health records, which can combine blood pressure, prescription and other health data on patients' individual risks such as heart disease or balance problems, the study authors explained in a University of Michigan Health System news release.

"Appropriately treating blood pressure in people with diabetes is extremely important, and good blood pressure control should still be the goal to reduce risk of heart attack, stroke and other conditions," first author Dr. Eve Kerr, director of the Center for Clinical Management Research at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in the news release.

"But just treating to a blood pressure target in all patients may result in overtreating and harming some patients because their blood pressures actually fall too low," she added. "We need to find better ways to measure and incentivize appropriate blood pressure management to make sure that patients who need aggressive treatment are getting it, and to decrease the rate of inappropriate overtreatment."

More information

The American Diabetes Association has more about high blood pressure and diabetes.

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Common Blood Pressure Drugs May Not Cut Colon Cancer Risk

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Widely used blood pressure medications called beta blockers do not cut a person's odds of developing colon cancer, a new study contends.

Beta blockers, which include drugs such as alprenolol, carvedilol, propranolol and atenolol, are commonly prescribed to older adults for high blood pressure and heart conditions.

Prior research has also linked use of the drugs to a decreased risk of cancer. This theory is based on animal and laboratory studies that found that the stress hormone norepinephrine can promote the growth and spread of cancer cells. Beta blockers inhibit this hormone's action.

"One of the holy grails in the war on cancer is preventing angiogenesis, which is the growth of new blood vessels to feed tumor cells," explained Dr. David Robbins, associate chief of the Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

"Some investigators have speculated that an indirect benefit of certain blood pressure medicines may be to help curb the growth of new blood vessels in breast and perhaps colon cancer," said Robbins, who was not involved in the new study.

In this study, published online May 14 in the journal Cancer, a team led by Michael Hoffmeister, of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, compared the beta blocker use of more than 1,700 colon cancer patients to that of about the same number of cancer-free people.

After accounting for weight, smoking status and other patient factors, the researchers found no link between beta blocker use and colon cancer risk.

The finding held true even after the researchers broke down their analyses by duration of beta blocker use, specific types of beta blockers, and sites within the colon or rectum where colorectal cancer developed in patients.

The authors conclude that their findings do not support the theory that using beta blockers cuts colon cancer risk.

That didn't surprise Robbins. "The few studies on this matter have been contradictory and it's unlikely that we'll ever see this sort of protective effect, since cancer is an incredibly complex disease driven by a myriad of unique biologic pathways," he said.

Another expert added that even though beta blockers might not help prevent colon tumors, people have other means of doing so.

"Men and women at average risk should start getting screened at age 50," said Dr. Mark Pochapin, director of the division of gastroenterology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "Those with certain risk factors, such as a family history of colorectal polyps or cancer, should talk to their doctors about screening at a younger age."

Pochapin also added that "lifestyle modifications -- such as quitting smoking, avoiding excess intake of red or processed meats, ensuring adequate vitamin D intake, and maintaining a healthy body weight and regular exercise -- can be very beneficial in reducing one's risk for colorectal cancer."

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer risk factors and prevention.

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Higher Protein Intake Lowers Blood Pressure in Overweight Adults

Once individuals begin to gain weight then their cardiovascular system is placed into a situation of ongoing inflammatory distress that eventually results in blood pressure elevating.  A new study makes it clear that an increase in dietary protein can have a huge benefit on reversing this trend, helping to lower blood pressure.

Many overweight people actually eat plenty of protein along with a lot of other junk calories, which will obviously not lower blood pressure due to the excess consumption of calories in general.  In this randomized, double-blind study participants consumed 60 grams of protein shakes compared to 60 grams of carbohydrate shakes per day as part of their diet.  The participants were all overweight and had untreated elevated blood pressure.  4 weeks of the additional protein enabled participants to lower their blood pressure significantly, which did not happen in the carbohydrate group.

All calories are not the same.  Adequate protein without other junk in the diet is vital for metabolism to work properly, especially getting higher protein intake at breakfast.  I have previously reviewed the science on this issue in my in depth article, Dairy, and Especially Whey, are Cardio Friendly Foods.  Whey protein has been shown to lower inflammation, boost adiponectin Protein hormone that modulates metabolism including glucose and fatty acid catabolism. High levels are associated with low body fat. (reducing insulin resistance), help weight loss, and lower blood pressure.

Our government insists that all calories are the same and bases public health policy on a flagrant lack of understanding of metabolic efficiency.  It is little wonder that the obesity epidemic has occurred on the watch of federal officials telling people to eat like a pyramid, apparently so they could also look that way. 

If you want to start your metabolic engines, have a high protein breakfast.

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Folic Acid for Blood Pressure, B6 for Circulatory Inflammation

B vitamins must be obtained from your diet or supplements as your body cannot synthesize them.  Several new studies show the vital importance of the B vitamins to your cardiovascular health, including the prevention of developing high blood pressure and a rather dramatic reduction of circulatory inflammation.

One study followed young adults for 20 years to see who developed high blood pressure, analyzing their dietary folate intake and verifying blood folate levels.  Those with the highest intake of folic acid were 52% less likely to develop high blood pressure.  The researchers believed this was either due to the ability of folic acid to reduce cardio-toxic levels of homocysteine It is a homologue of the amino acid cysteine that is synthesized from methionine An essential amino acid which serves as a methyl donor and is involved with the biosynthesis of other nutrients. Improper conversion is associated with production of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. which requires adequate Folic Acid, B12, and B6 to function properly. Elevated levels have been associated with heart disease, thrombosis, strokes, Alzheimer's disease, and other disorders. and/or to the ability of folic acid to help produce friendly nitric oxide that helps to relax your vascular system.

Another study showed that 4 weeks of supplementation with 40 mg of B6 per day in patients with angina dramatically lowered multiple markers of circulatory inflammation, including C reactive protein ( CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. ). 

B vitamins are essential for many aspects of metabolism.  These studies demonstrate a high level of importance for cardiovascular health.  B vitamins are depleted by stress, junk food diets, and exercise.  They are a basic supplement for maintaining your energy and mood.  If intake is maintained over the years they will help offset factors that contribute to cardiovascular wear and tear.

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Vitamin C Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine evaluated all the vitamin C studies relating to blood pressure dating back to 1966.  They concluded that an average dose of 500 mg of supplemental vitamin C per day for 8 weeks significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 

Vitamin C is one of the grand-daddy antioxidant nutrients and as such is one of the vitamins that the Big Pharma-sponsored American Heart Association loves to hate.  It is actually ironic for mainstream researchers to tout the benefits of vitamin C for cardiovascular health.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant in your blood that helps to lower inflammation such as CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. (C reactive protein).  Vitamin C is needed for collagen synthesis that contributes to flexible arteries.  And vitamin C participates as a member of the antioxidant team that protects your cardiovascular system.

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Even Toddlers Succumb to Peer Pressure, Study Says

HealthDay – 43 mins ago THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Toddlers are more likely to pick up a behavior if they see most other toddlers doing it, a new study shows.

Researchers found that 2-year-olds were more likely to copy an action when they saw it repeated by three other toddlers than if they saw an action repeated by just one other toddler.

The findings appear online April 12 in the journal Current Biology.

"I think few people would have expected to find that 2-year-olds are already influenced by the majority," study author Daniel Haun, of the Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Anthropology and Psycholinguistics in Germany and the Netherlands. "Parents and teachers should be aware of these dynamics in children's peer interactions," Haun said in a journal news release.

The study also found that chimpanzees tend to follow the crowd, but orangutans do not. This suggests that humans and chimps have shared strategies for social learning, the researchers said.

While parents may be dismayed to learn that their toddlers are already sensitive to peer pressure, this type of behavior has advantages in terms of evolution.

"The tendency to acquire the behaviors of the majority has been posited as key to the transmission of relatively safe, reliable and productive behavioral strategies," Haun noted.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about toddler growth and development.

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High Blood Pressure May Be Especially Lethal for Blacks

HealthDay – 4 mins 48 secs ago TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Black people with high blood pressure are twice as likely to suffer sudden cardiac death than whites or other racial groups who suffer hypertension, according to a new study.

Researchers found this was true regardless of blacks' other risk factors, such as age, gender, family history, weight, diabetes or pre-existing heart disease.

Researchers examined 533 black and 8,660 non-black patients with high blood pressure and followed them for five years. Sudden cardiac death occurred in 178 patients, including 17 blacks and 161 non-blacks. After adjusting for risk factors such as age, sex, body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight), diabetes and history of heart disease, the study revealed black patients had a two-fold greater risk of sudden cardiac death.

In sudden cardiac death, the heart unexpectedly stops beating, causing blood flow to the brain and organs to stop. If blood flow isn't restored through CPR or defibrillation, death occurs within minutes.

The study appears in the April issue of HeartRhythm.

"The truly unique outcome of our study is the indication that black patients may be at a higher risk of

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Common Blood Pressure Drug Safe for Heart Failure: Study

HealthDay – 4 mins 46 secs ago TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although research has suggested that the blood pressure drug losartan (Cozaar) may be tied to an increased risk of death in heart-failure patients compared to a similar medication, a new study finds that's not the case.

"Use of this and other similar drugs has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure," said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, co-director of the Preventative Cardiology Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, and director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, commenting on the study results.

An earlier observational study in patients with heart failure suggested that losartan was associated with higher risk of death compared to the drug candesartan (Atacand), he said.

"There were, however, a number of limitations to this prior study that could have biased these results, including differences in dosing and treating physicians," said Fonarow, who was not involved in the studies.

The new research, conducted in Denmark, finds no meaningful difference in survival among heart failure patients treated with losartan or candesartan, he said.

"This study also finds for both agents that the use of higher doses, as recommended in guidelines, is associated with better outcomes than the use of lower doses," Fonarow said.

The report was published in the April 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, means the heart is unable to pump blood to the rest of the body the way it should.

For the study, Henrik Svanstrom, from the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, and colleagues collected data on nearly 6,500 heart failure patients who had recently started taking losartan (4,397 patients) or candesartan (2,082 patients).

Both are a type of drug called angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

During follow-up, 2,378 participants died -- 330 taking candesartan and 1,212 patients taking losartan, the researchers found.

However, there was no significant increased risk of all-cause death or cardiovascular death associated with losartan compared to candesartan, the researchers said.

But dosage was important, the team said. The study found twice the risk of death with low-dose losartan compared to high-dose candesartan. Medium-dose losartan and low-dose candesartan also had a higher risk of death, but high-dose losartan had no increased death risk compared to high doses of candesartan.

"Our data provide a more detailed insight into the complexity of the association between losartan use and mortality risk in heart failure," the researchers concluded.

"These findings do not support the hypothesis of differential effects of specific ARBs in patients with heart failure," they added.

Dr. David Friedman, chief of heart failure services at North Shore-LIJ Health System's Plainview Hospital in Plainview, N.Y., said, "These medications are very helpful in heart failure patients."

Friedman noted that those in the losartan group were older and sicker, which may explain why more of them died.

These patients could only tolerate lower doses of losartan, and because they were sicker they were more likely to die than patients who could tolerate higher starting doses of candesartan, he said.

More information

For more on heart failure, visit the American Heart Association.

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Compound in soy products may help lower blood pressure

ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2012) — Soy-based food products have taken grocery store shelves by storm, and the benefits of soy are steadily beginning to emerge. Eating foods that contain isoflavones -- a key compound in soy milk, tofu, green tea and even peanuts -- every day may help young adults lower their blood pressure. Moreover, and for the first time, there appears to be a particular benefit for African Americans, who have hypertension prevalence rates near 42 percent, according to research presented March 25 at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

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"What's unique about this study is that the results are very applicable to the general population. Our results strongly suggest a blood pressure benefit for moderate amounts of dietary isoflavone intake in young black and white adults," said Safiya Richardson, a graduating medical student at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and the study's lead investigator. "Our study is the first to show a benefit in African Americans, who have a higher incidence of high blood pressure, with an earlier onset and more severe end-organ damage."

Compared to those consuming less than 0.33 mg of isoflavones per day, those reporting the most isoflavone intake (more than 2.5 mg per day) had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (-5.5 mmHg lower on average). To help put this into context, an 8 ounce glass of soy milk has about 22 mg of isoflavones, and 100 g of roasted soybeans have as much as 130 mg.

"This could mean that consuming soy protein, for example, in combination with a DASH diet -- one that is high in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains -- could lead to as much as a 10 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure for pre-hypertensives, greatly improving their chances of not progressing to hypertension," said Richardson. "Any dietary or lifestyle modification people can easily make that doesn't require a daily medication is exciting, especially considering recent figures estimating that only about one third of American hypertensives have their blood pressure under control."

Isoflavones are thought to work by increasing the production of enzymes that create nitric oxide (NO), a substance that helps to dilate or widen blood vessels, thereby reducing the pressure created by blood against the vessel walls. Richardson said this mechanism may partially explain why the study was able to find an association with smaller amounts of isoflavone intake than examined previously. The relatively pronounced results in the overall biracial cohort may be driven by a more intense effect of isoflavones in African Americans, Richardson said. This is because endothelial dysfunction, a condition in which the blood vessels have a hard time either producing or using NO, plays a bigger role in hypertension in African Americans than it does in whites.

"It's possible that these foods may help compensate for this," she said. "Based on our results and those of previous studies, we would encourage the average adult to consider including moderate amounts of soy products in a healthy, well-balanced diet to reduce the chances of developing high blood pressure. For people with hypertension, it's important that they talk with their doctor about isoflavones as a possible addition to a low sodium DASH diet that could reduce the need for medication."

Richardson added that different soy products have different concentrations of isoflavones, so it is important for consumers to do their homework.

Researchers analyzed data from year-20 of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which is an NIH-funded study created to examine the development and determinants of cardiovascular disease. This study began in 1985 with 5,115 African American and white Americans aged 18-30 years old who have been followed and reexamined at various intervals. Year-20 was the first year that participants completed an extensive dietary survey. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated the relation between daily isoflavone intake and systolic BP (SBP) after dividing patients across quartiles according to self-reported isoflavone intake. Even after controlling for age, sex, BMI, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and total caloric intake, the relationship between daily isoflavones and lower systolic blood pressure remained.

Richardson says this study helps lay the groundwork for randomized controlled trials to help better understand the association between isoflavones and blood pressure.

Richardson presented the study "Dietary Isoflavone Intake is Associated with Lower Systolic Blood Pressure: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study" on March 25, 2012 in McCormick Place South, Hall A.

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