2023 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Consumption of blueberry powder daily improves vascular function, cognitive abilities, and reduces blood pressure in healthy older individuals.

This double-blind, parallel randomized controlled trial engaged 61 healthy older individuals aged between 65 to 80 years old. Participants were given either 26g of freeze-dried wild blueberry (WBB) powder, comprising 302 mg anthocyanins, or a similar placebo with zero mg anthocyanins. Measurements were made for endothelial function, cognitive function, arterial stiffness, blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, gut microbiome, and blood parameters, both at the start of the trial and again following 12 weeks of daily consumption. In addition, plasma and urinary polyphenol metabolites were analyzed through the use of microelution solid-phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

In the WBB group, there was a notable increase in endothelial function and a decrease in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure, when compared to the placebo group. Enhanced immediate recall on the auditory verbal learning task was also observed, along with better accuracy on a task-switch task following administering of WBB. Notably, the total 24-hour urinary excretion of polyphenols also significantly increased in the WBB group comparative to the control group. In contrast, there were no discernible changes in cerebral blood flow or gut microbiota composition. These findings imply that WBB polyphenols could contribute to reducing future cardiovascular disease risk in older populations, and might enhance memory processes and executive functioning in older adults at risk of cognitive decline.

Wild blueberry (poly)phenols can improve vascular function and cognitive performance in healthy older individuals: a double-blind randomized controlled trial Wood E, Hein S, Mesnage R, Fernandes F, Abhayaratne N, Xu Y, Zhang Z, Bell L, Williams C, Rodriguez-Mateos A

2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

This study showed that the intervention time was concentrated at 4–8 weeks, mainly through Chinese herbal medicine for the prevention and treatment of elderly hypertension and the complications.

We systematically retrieved and summarised clinical studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the prevention and treatment of essential hypertension (EH) using the evidence map. We aimed to explore the evidence distribution, identify gaps in evidence, and inform on future research priorities. Clinical studies, systematic reviews, guidelines, and pathway studies related to TCM for the prevention and treatment of EH, published between January 2000 and December 2019, were included from databases CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The distribution of evidence was analysed using text descriptions, tables, and graphs. A total of 9,403 articles were included, including 5,920 randomised controlled studies (RCTs), 16 guidelines, expert consensus and path studies, and 139 systematic reviews (SRs).

A total of 10 high-quality studies were retrieved, where qigong (20 RCTs), zhengan xifeng decoction (6 RCTs), Liuwei Dihuang pill (6 RCTs), and Chinese herbal medicine (24 RCTs) were considered to have evidence of potential positive effects. Xuefu zhuyu decoction (15 RCTs) was considered a positive effect; i.e., we are confident in estimating the research results.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Essential Hypertension: A Clinical Evidence Map Zhang Y, Wang B, Ju C, Liu L, Zhu Y, Mei J, Liu Y, Xu F

2020 Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets

Cinnamon supplementation has favorable effects on diastolic blood pressure and long-term effects on systolic blood pressure.

Out of 927 records, 8 trials that enrolled 582 participants were included. The pooled effect size showed that systolic blood pressure did not change following cinnamon supplementation. Also cinnamon supplementation in long-duration (≥ 8weeks) had a significant effect on systolic blood pressure. Pooled analysis showed that cinnamon had a significant effect on diastolic blood pressure. In addition, results from both duration subsets and high dose (>1500 mg/day) of cinnamon supplementation were significant.

What is the Impact of Cinnamon Supplementation on Blood Pressure? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Hadi A, Campbell MS, Hassani B, Pourmasoumi M, Salehi-Sahlabadi A, Hosseini SA.

2020 Journal of King Saud University - Science

Almond consumption was found to significantly reduce systolic blood pressure.

A systematic and dose-response meta-analysis review study was carried out. The researchers thoroughly searched through PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus, with no restrictions on time or language, up until July 2019. The goal was to identify randomized controlled trials which investigated the effects of almond consumption on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A total of fifteen studies, with 21 arms and involving 853 participants, were selected and their findings analyzed according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Upon analysis, it was observed that the consumption of almonds displayed a significant reduction effect on systolic blood pressure. However, no such significant effect was found on diastolic blood pressure. The variation in results for diastolic blood pressure was noticed to be linked to the dose of almonds consumed, a finding made through a meta-regression analysis carried out during the study.

The effect of almonds consumption on blood pressure: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized control trials Li Z, Bhagavathula AS, Batavia M, Clark C, Abdulazeem HM, Rahmani J, Yin F

2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The study shows the promising potential of Suan Zao Ren as a multi-effect traditional Chinese medicine derived from the seeds of Ziziphus Jujuba.

The methodology of the research was primarily a comprehensive literature review of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (aka Suan Zao Ren). The team explored the botanical characteristics, traditional uses, pharmacology, and discovered compounds in the seeds of Ziziphus Jujuba.

In regards to the results of the review, more than 150 compounds were identified in Ziziphi Spinosae Semen. These compounds, which mainly include terpenoids, flavonoids and others, show various biological activities. It was found that the seeds are particularly prominent in having sedative and hypnotic effects. Other properties discovered include antitumor potential, improvement to learning and memory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-aging, alongside lower blood pressure and lipid levels. Traditional usage of the seeds for the treatment of insomnia, forgetfulness, headaches and dizziness were confirmed by the review.

Botanical and Traditional Uses and Phytochemical, Pharmacological, Pharmacokinetic, and Toxicological Characteristics of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen: A Review Su-Rong He, Chong-Bo Zhao, Jing-Xia Zhang, Jing Wang, Bo Wu, Chun-Jie Wu,

2019 International Journal of Hypertension

Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy has antihypertensive effect.

The mechanism of acupuncture for hypertension is related to RAAS, vascular endothelium, oxidative stress, the neuroendocrine system, and other factors; also, there is cross-talk between multiple systems and multiple targets. In addition, the functional images, genes, metabolism, etc. change with antihypertensive effect. Acupuncture can protect target organs in addition to reducing BP. Overall, based on the mechanism research acupuncture may be an effective intervention for management of hypertension.

The Mechanism of Acupuncture in Treating Essential Hypertension: A Narrative Review Juan Li ,1 Mingsheng Sun ,2 Jing Ye,2 Yuxi Li ,2 Rongjiang Jin ,1 Hui Zheng ,2 and Fanrong Liang 2

2019 Nutrients

Consuming walnuts daily can reduce cardiovascular risk factors in chronic kidney disease patients without altering significant physiological levels.

In this prospective, randomized, crossover, pilot clinical trial, 13 patients suffering from chronic kidney disease were selected as subjects. They were randomly divided into two groups, one of which was assigned a diet including 30 grams of walnuts each day while the other followed a control diet. After a duration of 30 days, a washout period of an additional 30 days was allowed, following which the groups were switched to the alternate diet. Key markers such as urinary and serum levels of phosphorous and potassium, multiple vascular risk factors, and urinary inositol phosphates were measured before initiating the trial and post the intervention period.

The study indicated that a dietary supplement of walnuts resulted in reduced blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and decreased albumin excretion. Interestingly, despite these changes, it had no impact on the physiological levels of phosphorous, potassium, parathyroid hormone, and fibroblast growth factor 23. This indicates that daily consumption of walnuts, when incorporated in a sodium, protein, phosphate, and potassium controlled diet, has the potential to be an effective strategy in reducing cardiovascular risk among chronic kidney disease patients without perturbing key physiological levels.

A Pilot Randomized Crossover Trial Assessing the Safety and Short-Term Effects of Walnut Consumption by Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Sanchis P, Molina M, Berga F, Muñoz E, Fortuny R, Costa-Bauzá A, Grases F, Buades JM

2019 Frontiers in Pharmacology

Pu-erh tea's ability to lower blood pressure is primarily due to theabrownins and caffeine, which cause vasodilation irrespective of the endothelium.

For the research methodology, researchers used pu-erh tea aqueous extract to analyze its effects on rat thoracic aortas previously tightened by Phenylephrine or KCl. They observed the isometric tension and intracellular calcium to gauge the direct effects of the tea. The aqueous tea extract was separated into different fractions using organic solvents to identify the specific active components. They assessed the impact these had on the arteries.

The results demonstrated that the vessels relaxed in response to the pu-erh tea extract, irrespective of whether the endothelium was removed or preincubated with potassium channel blockers. Furthermore, the contractibility of the vessels induced by Phenylephrine or CaCl under different conditions was reduced. There was also a decrease in the KCl-induced increase of intracellular calcium in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Among the different components, researchers found that the chloroform precipitate of the pu-erh tea extract resulted in the strongest vasodilation. Theabrownins, a major part of this precipitate, and caffeine were identified as the active components causing vasodilation in an endothelium-independent manner.

Pu-Erh Tea Relaxes the Thoracic Aorta of Rats by Reducing Intracellular Calcium Luo Dan, Chen Xuejiao, Zhu Xu, Liu Shuang, Li Jie, Xu Jianping, Zhao Jinhua, Ji Xu

2019 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Cinnamon supplementation leads to a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults.

This systematic review and meta-analysis included studies up to July 2019, sourced from databases like PubMed/Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar. The research focused on randomized clinical trials that primarily explored the effect of oral cinnamon supplementation on blood pressure parameters, including systolic or diastolic blood pressure.

From the 469 citations, nine trials involving 641 subjects were included. The results inferred that cinnamon supplementation leads to a noticeable decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A more remarkable effect on systolic blood pressure was observed in trials using less or equal to 2g cinnamon, lasting for 12 weeks or more, and included participants under the age of 50. Diastolic blood pressure was also reduced using lower doses of cinnamon. No significant non-linear associations were detected between cinnamon supplementation dosage, study duration, and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Anti-hypertensive effects of cinnamon supplementation in adults: A systematic review and dose-response Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, Ahmad Jayedi, Yahya Jalilpiran, Maryam Hajishafiee, Azadeh Aminianfar, Ahmad Esmaillzadeh.

2019 Journal of Sleep Research

Acupuncture therapy does not impact the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, blood pressure, or quality of life in hypertensive patients.

The study examined the effects of acupuncture on blood pressure and Obstructive Sleep Apnea severity in hypertensive patients. These patients, all suffering from mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea, were randomly divided into two groups, one of which received acupuncture treatment while the other received sham-acupuncture treatment, essentially a placebo. Each patient's condition was assessed before and after ten acupuncture sessions, relying on measures such as polysomnography, around-the-clock blood pressure monitoring, and a life quality survey.

A total of 44 patients completed the study, the group covering both genders, with an average age of 57 years, and a diverse range of body mass indices and apnea-hypopnea indices. It's important to note that there were no distinguishable differences observed in the apnea-hypopnea index, daytime or nighttime blood pressure, or life quality between the group that received genuine acupuncture treatment and the group that received the placebo treatment.

Effects of acupuncture on obstructive sleep apnea severity, blood pressure control and quality of life in patients with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial Silva MVFP, Lustosa TC, Arai VJ, Couto Patriota TLG, Lira MPF, Lins‐Filho OL, Chalegre ST, B.B.A.S. K, Secundo IV, Pedrosa RP

2017 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Of the 7 clinical trials included, five evaluating individuals with hypertension observed a significant reduction in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure. The two articles that evaluated individuals with dyslipidemia showed improvement in lipid profile.

The mechanisms of action are still being studied. Regarding the bias risk analysis, clinical trials included showed few descriptions of the methods applied. There are few studies about sesame ingestion, and it was observed high risk for bias in the selected studies. More standardized methods with attention to the design of studies are needed to improve the level of the evidence.

The effect of dietary intake of sesame (Sesamumindicum L.) derivatives related to the lipid profile and blood pressure: A systematic review Carolina Alves Cardoso, Gláucia Maria Moraes de Oliveira, Luciana de Almeida Vittori Gouveia, Annie Seixas Bello Moreira & Glorimar Rosa

2015 PLOS One

There is evidence of efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to western medicine for treating hypertension.

Our review provided evidence of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to medication for treating hypertension, while the evidence for acupuncture alone lowing BP is insufficient. The safety of acupuncture is uncertain due to the inadequate reporting of it. However, the current evidence might not be sufficiently robust against methodological flaws and significant heterogeneity of the included RCTs. Larger high-quality trials are required.

Is Acupuncture Effective for Hypertension? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Zhao XF, Hu HT, Li JS, Shang HC, Zheng HZ, Niu JF, et al

2013 Phytotherapy Research

Pomegranate juice intake for two weeks significantly reduces blood pressure and may improve heart health by lowering vascular endothelial adhesion molecule-1 levels.

In the experiment, twenty-one hypertensive participants, aged between 30 to 67 years, were gathered and randomly assigned to consume either 150ml of fresh pomegranate juice per day or an equal quantity of water for a period of two weeks. The pomegranate juice was consumed in a single occasion between lunch and dinner. The blood pressure of these subjects, including systolic and diastolic pressures, were measured before and after the trial period. Additionally, levels of specific elements including lipid profile parameters, apolipoproteins A and B, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial adhesion molecule 1, E-selectin, and other inflammatory and endothelial function biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were also measured.

The results showed that the consumption of pomegranate juice was associated with notable reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The intake of pomegranate juice also resulted in a significant decrease in levels of vascular endothelial adhesion molecule 1, even though there was an increase in E-selectin levels. No observable influence appeared on the levels of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, lipid profile parameters, apolipoproteins, or interleukin-6 from the juice consumption, indicating that pomegranate juice may specifically target certain elements related to heart health.

Clinical Evaluation of Blood Pressure Lowering, Endothelial Function Improving, Hypolipidemic and Anti‐Inflammatory Effects of Pomegranate Juice in Hypertensive Subjects Asgary S, Sahebkar A, Afshani MR, Keshvari M, Haghjooyjavanmard S, Rafieian‐Kopaei M

2010 European Heart Journal

Chocolate consumption appears to lower cardiovascular disease risk, in part through reducing blood pressure.

In this cohort of German adults, consumption of 6 g of chocolate per day was associated with a 39% lower risk of the combined outcome of MI and stroke. This was partly (for 12%) explained by baseline BP, to which chocolate consumption was also inversely related.

The inverse relation of chocolate consumption appeared stronger for stroke than for MI. Finally, the inverse relations of chocolate with BP and incident CVD were observed despite lower intakes of fruit and vegetables in people consuming more chocolate.

Chocolate consumption in relation to blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease in German adults Buijsse B, Weikert C, Drogan D, Bergmann M, Boeing H