High blood pressure is becoming a more prevalent health risk, especially in the industrialized nations. Americans and Europeans are seeing alarming rises in cases of hypertension and increased cholesterol levels.
This problem has been attributed to a number factors, including poor diet, sedentary jobs, long working hours, insufficient cardiovascular exercise, high rates of obesity and stress.
There are a number of pharmaceutical option that are available to someone with hypertension, and these treatments usually accompany instructions to make considerable life changes to keep blood pressure at a safe level in the future.
This process can take many months, and it is important that there are regular checks carried out by your doctor to ensure that progress is being made.
So, it is not surprising there was interest when a study conducted in the Netherlands by Dr F A J L Steer, now at Harvard Medical School, found that people who suffer from hypertension who took melatonin regularly at night could lower their blood pressure levels.
So, lets understand why this could be the case.
Melatonin is a hormone, which is naturally occurring in our bodies and is secreted by the pineal gland, a small pea size structure which is found at the center of the brain. Melatonin is produced at night and helps to regulate the body during our sleep and wake cycles.
As a person ages, their levels of melatonin tend to drop, and this may go some way to explaining why older people seem to require less sleep, or find it more difficult to sleep.
The research team arranged for 16 men who were suffering from untreated hypertension to take either 2.5mg of melatonin each night an hour before bed or a placebo.
After 3 weeks the subjects taking the melatonin had significantly lower blood pressure levels than the subjects taking the placebo.
Therefore anecdotally, based on the study, it was thought that if someone were to take melatonin for an extended period of time then this could help stabilize blood pressure levels.
The team found that a single dose of melatonin was not effective in treating high blood pressure problems, and that it took a few days of following the regime to see a difference to blood pressure levels.
However, it is difficult to attribute the improved blood pressure levels to the melatonin only, as the improvement may be linked to the subjects getting a better quality and potentially longer sleep each night.
There has certainly been some compelling evidence that shows sleep deprived individuals have higher blood pressure readings than those who get a normal healthy night sleep.
On the basis one trial, which included only 16 subjects, it is not possible or reasonable to suggest that there is enough evidence to show that melatonin does lower blood pressure, but there does seem a ground for further research.
Continue reading to discover about natural methods to relieve high blood pressure and sign up for our free newsletter.
It is a shame that no further research seems to have been carried out since to establish more evidence of a link between melatonin and high blood pressure symptom relief.
Grapefruit And High Blood Pressure
A scientific study concerning olive leaf extract and blood pressure was published in Germany in 1955. The benefits of botanical and herbal extracts were largely ignored for the next 40 years. But between 1996 and 2008, there were at least eight different scientific studies that concerned olive leaf extract and high blood pressure. In recent years, the trend towards naturalism has become a more conventional viewpoint, rather than an alternative one.
Even though the studies concerning olive leaf extract and blood pressure are promising, it will be years before opinions concerning treatment change much. Reducing hypertension is important for the outcome of many other diseases, including type II diabetes and heart disease. If you are a relatively healthy individual, your goal should be prevention. Healthy diet and lifestyle are extremely important, but the importance of striving for optimal nutritional intake cannot be overstated.
In addition to recent studies concerning olive leaf extract and high blood pressure, researchers have shown that magnesium supplements help reduce hypertension, as well. Magnesium is an essential mineral found in spices, nuts and green leafy vegetables. But, the nutritional value of these foods has dropped dramatically in the last 50 years, due primarily to over-farming and the use of modern-day fertilizers, which contain no magnesium. However, most vitamin and mineral supplements on the market contain magnesium oxide, which is very poorly absorbed by the human body. The better supplements contain magnesium citrate, which is more readily absorbed.
If you wanted the benefits of olive leaf extract and blood pressure reduction, you would need to choose your supplement carefully. As with magnesium, most manufacturers do not include the best extracts. The potency varies greatly. In addition, anyone with chronic hypotension should be wary of taking the extract for immuno-stimulation or other purposes, since the studies concerning olive leaf extract and high blood pressure have shown an overall reduction. It could cause a serious problem for someone with hypotension.
The latest study concerning olive leaf extract and high blood pressure made use of a 1000mg dose. That dose could be too high for a healthy person. Most naturopaths recommend 50mg per day to stimulate the immune system and support long term health.
Besides the studies concerning olive leaf extract and blood pressure, there have been others concerning its antioxidant activity. Antioxidants provide natural production from free radical molecules, which are primary contributors to cellular aging and age-related diseases. The leaves contain several different antioxidants. One of them is twice as strong as coenzyme Q10 and more powerful the catechins found in green tea. Although the gallic acid found in green tea is still considered one of the most potent antioxidants.
Research will likely continue concerning olive leaf extract and high blood pressure. In the meantime, you could do adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet plan, take an excellent multi-nutritional supplement that contains the right form of basic nutrients plus olive leaf extract and blood pressure reduction might not ever be a concern for you.
Both Paul J Johnson & Valerie Rosenbaum are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Paul J Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blood Pressure, Anger Control and Blood Pressure. Sign up for the free Relieve Blood Pressure Newsletter and discover natural methods to manage your high blood pressure symptoms as well as the latest research into hypertension like the. Paul J Johnson's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Valerie Rosenbaum has sinced written about articles on various topics from Aquarium Fish, Wrinkles and Medical Related. Valerie Rosenbaum has spent several years researching every available. As a result of that effort she has found that it is critical to. Valerie Rosenbaum's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Best Stores For Dresses When its all finished, it will be your secret that you did it all yourself. After all, all your friends will think you had it done professionally