Addressing Hypertension via Nutrition (Stalking a Silent Killer)

Another botanical, olive leaf extract (as EFLA® 943, sold as Benolea® by Frutarom), was found in a rat model to exert hypotensive effects in hypertensive rats, which may be attributed to reversing adverse vascular changes.⁵⁴ A clinical trial presented at the Phytopharmaka and Phytotherapy 2005 Congress in Berlin also found olive leaf extract could dose-dependently reduce blood pressure. In this study, 20 monozygotic twins were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 took 500 mg/d olive leaf extract (as EFLA 943) and group 2 took 1,000 mg/d olive leaf extract. Blood pressure was recorded at baseline and after one, two, four, six and eight weeks; the mean value of these readings was used for data analysis. In Group 1, systolic blood pressure decreased by six mmHg and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 13 mmHg. Greater reductions in blood pressure were observed in Group 2 (19 mmHg and 10 mmHg, respectively). Both groups experienced significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The researchers concluded the results of the study support the beneficial effect of EFLA 943 as a dietary supplement in the control of a non-pharmacological approach for the treatment of mild hypertensive states.

Garlic also has a good quantity of research supporting its benefits to cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. A 2008 meta-analysis from the University of Adelaide, South Australia, included 11 studies from a systematic review and reported the studies showed a mean decrease of 4.6 +/- 2.8 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure in the garlic group compared to placebo, while the mean decrease in the hypertensive subgroup was 8.4 +/- 2.8 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure, and 7.3 +/- 1.5 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure.⁵⁵ Studies suggest garlic may exert its positive effects on blood pressure via antioxidant properties,⁵⁶ or due to its allicin content benefiting endothelial function.⁵⁷ Clinical work in men with hypertension has shown supplementation with garlic lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.⁵⁸

Aged garlic extract (AGE) may have a greater beneficial effect than fresh. Japanese researchers compared AGE to raw garlic powder in spontaneously hypertensive rats in a 10 week intervention, and found both reduced the increase of blood pressure in the animals; however, AGE also reduced pulse pressure and supported blood vessel health.⁵⁹ Clinical work with AGE has also shown positive results. A double blind crossover trial in which hypercholesterolemic men (n=41) took 7.2 g/d AGE for six months found the intervention produced a 5.5 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure and a modest reduction in diastolic blood pressure.⁶⁰ And in an open clinical trial, intervention with AGE plus vitamin B1 and ginseng extract was effective in lowering blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure, but not in those with normal blood pressure.⁶¹