High blood pressure can be reduced by multiple avenues, including herbs, diet, exercise, and stress management. Another potential way is through managing nutrient deficiencies. It is often not accurately publicized that we can obtain all of our necessary nutrients through our food (and by ‘food’ in this context, I mean the food of the US, which is has been found to be lacking the amount of nutrients it previously had), because ‘necessary’ is relative to the individual, and especially relative once someone has a condition that may require more of a certain nutrient to have a therapeutic effect. Obtaining all of the nutrients through our current food supply may meet baseline bodily requirements, but sometimes people need more than that.
Let’s discuss a few nutrients that impact blood pressure:
- Calcium – optimal levels of this mineral helps to reduce vasoconstriction. It can be particularly helpful for those with salt sensitive blood pressure because it can increase sodium excretion.
- Magnesium – promotes dilation of blood vessels. Low levels of this mineral within the cells can cause increased blood pressure.
- Folate – promotes dilation of blood vessels
- Carnitine – reduces the effects of angiotensin, which is a substance that can cause arteries to constrict
- Cysteine – antioxidant and vasodilator. Cysteine can be found within the supplement N-Acetyl Cysteine, also known as NAC.
- Vitamin B6 – lowers homocysteine, a substance that can make arteries stiff and raise blood pressure
There are more nutrients linked to blood pressure beyond this list. Micronutrient testing can help to uncover which nutrients you may be deficient in. If you are interested in reducing blood pressure naturally and taking a micronutrient test, please go to the Consultations page of this website to schedule a consultation.
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