Patients often ask me about non-pharmaceutical options for controlling hypertension. While these may not be enough in themselves, they may help to lessen dependence on anti-hypertensive pharmaceutical agents. AS ALWAYS, consult your physician before taking any of these supplements, and DO NOT stop your present anti-hypertensive medications without your physician’s recommendation.
- Lifestyle is very important. Increase exercise, decrease consumption of starchy foods and sugary snacks/treats.
- Work to achieve your optimal weight.
- Consume more protein (any type of protein is shown to reduce risk): Hydrolyzed whey protein; bonito protein may be used.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA:EPA 3:2), 3-4 g daily
- Virgin olive oil; olive leaf extract 500 mg, twice daily for 8 weeks
- Aged garlic, 600 mg twice daily (YES, this can cause garlic breath)
- Wakame (dried seaweed), 3.3 g
- Vitamin C, 600 mg/day
- Vitamin D: 2000 IU per day, with a goal of bringing your level to 50-60 ng/mL
- Dark chocolate in small amounts
- Co-Q10: 60 mg twice daily, measure level
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA): acetyl-L-carnitine (500 mg) or ALA (200 mg)
- Carnitine, 2 g/day
- Taurine, 6 g/day
- Pycnogenol, 200 mg/day
- Grape seed extract, 150-300 mg daily
- Pomegranate: 0.5-1 cup ground pomegranate seeds (Although this showed benefit for blood pressure, it is not realistic to consume this amount of ground seeds daily.)
- Melatonin, 3-5 mg/night
- Sesame, 60 mg/day
- Quercetin, 365 mg twice daily
- Probiotics, various doses were studied. In general, kefir (2-3 tablespoonfuls) and yoghurt (4-6 ounces) provide an appropriate amount of daily probiotics. If taken in supplemental form, an average dose is 10-20 billion cultures daily.
- Beet root extract, one glass daily. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/a-new-way-to-beet-high-blood-pressure#:~:text=Beets%20contain%20naturally%20high%20levels,in%20turn%2C%20lowers%20blood%20pressure.
© Trinity Integrative Family Medicine, Inc., glkocourek, Nov-2016; latest revision 09-May-2021