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

2022 Reference Series in Phytochemistry

Coconut water possesses unique compound profiles that imbue it with a broad spectrum of medical properties, incorporating aspects of nutrition, pharmacology, and disease prevention.

The study utilized comprehensive analysis to assess the chemical profile of coconut water, identifying a range of components including phytohormones, enzymes, antioxidant compounds, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. These components are known to contribute to the water's biological activity and pharmacological effects, thereby enabling a raft of medicinal properties inherent to coconut water. The water was found to feature anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, rejuvenating, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and diuretic properties.

An examination of the therapeutic effects of coconut water revealed a significant impact on gastric dysfunction, dysentery, and child malnutrition alongside notable capabilities to manage hypertension. The water was found to promote exercise performance, reduce swelling, dissolve kidney stones, improve kidney function, improve digestion, relieve constipation, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower high blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels. Consumption of tender coconut water was specifically found to reduce the risk of heart disease, help prevent Alzheimer’s disease pathologies and prevent osteoporosis in experimental animals. The unique nutritional profile of coconut water was also found to provide it with the capacity to balance body chemistry and fight cancer.

Health Benefits of Coconut Water Rethinam P, Krishnakumar V

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.

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 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 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

2017 Maturitas

Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have various health benefits for postmenopausal women including reducing triglycerides and improving depression and psychotic symptoms.

A panel of experienced experts from the Spanish Menopause Society embarked to establish a comprehensive set of recommendations for the intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by postmenopausal women. This was steered based on the best available evidence and research. It was especially noted that the consumption of these fatty acids, at doses higher than 3 grams per day, proved to significantly decrease the levels of triglycerides in the body.

The results obtained from this study are promising and underline the potential health benefits of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for postmenopausal women. Alongside reducing triglyceride levels, they also contribute to antiarrhythmic effects, reduction in blood pressure, and improvements in depressive and psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, it was noted that their consumption does not increase the risk of cancer in these women. The potential of these fatty acids in providing relief from menopause symptoms and osteoporosis was also explored, yielding positive indications.

Recommendations of the Spanish Menopause Society on the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by postmenopausal women Sánchez-Borrego R, von Schacky C, Osorio MJA, Llaneza P, Pinto X, Losa F, Navarro MC, Lubián D, Mendoza N

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

2014 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Acupuncture significantly lowers blood pressure in patients taking antihypertensive medications.

Results from this meta-analysis of randomized sham-controlled trials provide evidence that acupuncture helped (lowered) BP in patients taking antihypertensive medications. Our results did not provide support that acupuncture alone significantly lowers BP in patients with hypertension. Larger RCTs with longer follow-up periods would help clarify the potential efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating hypertension.

Acupuncture for Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Sham-Controlled Clinical Trials Li DZ, Zhou Y, Yang YN, Ma YT, Li XM, Yu J, et al.