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By Dennis Kleinman, HealthAtoZ contributing writer
What simple food when added to your diet can reduce your blood pressure as much as some prescription medication?
The answer is orange juice, the "pure premium" kind, that is, fortified with vitamins and minerals.
"We were surprised by the numbers," says Dennis Sprecher, M.D., former head of the section of preventive cardiology in the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center and lead researcher of the study looking at the effects of orange juice on blood pressure. The numbers show the favorite breakfast beverage was just as effective as some medications used to treat high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects some 50 million adults in the United States and is the third highest cause of death in the country after heart disease and cancer. Called the "silent killer" because of its lack of symptoms, it is the leading risk factor for stroke, a devastating disease that strikes one American every 53 seconds.
"High blood pressure is the most common of the cardiovascular disorder that will affect almost 90 percent of Americans at some point during their lives," Sprecher says.
OJ's power
In conducting his research, Sprecher followed information gathered from the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) research, which showed a diet rich in fruits and vegetables could lower the rates for hypertension and stroke by 11 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively. He asked 24 adult volunteers with borderline hypertension to drink two 8-ounce glasses of one of the following orange juice preparations each day for eight weeks.
"As the 24 subjects progressed from a simple, unfortified orange drink, through orange juice prepared from concentrate, to whole juice fortified with vitamin C and potassium, the amount of blood vessel relaxation and drop in blood pressure became more significant," Sprecher says.
The findings showed a reduction of up to 10 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in systolic pressure, measured while the heart contracts, and a 3 to 4 mmHg drop in diastolic pressure, measured during the heart's relaxation phase.
The results compare with findings in some patients using ACE inhibitors - one class of medications commonly used to treat hypertension, Sprecher says.
These lower blood pressure readings translate into a potential savings of countless tragedies and lives and as much as up to $36 billion to $40 billion in medical costs and loss of productivity, when calculated using the 1999 American Heart Association guidelines on the public health implications of hypertension.
Distinct improvements found
The Cleveland Clinic Group isn't sure of the mechanism behind the success of orange juice; but using ultrasonic images, the researchers were able to see and measure distinct improvements in the ability of the brachial artery (the main artery in the arm) to relax and open up to accommodate the blood flow at a lower pressure.
"This improvement was more than we previously saw with vitamin C and potassium, either alone or in combination. What surprised us was the amount of change we found when these two substances were combined in pure premium orange," Sprecher says. "So, there's something in the whole juice product that works better, and that's where we'd like to aim our future research."
As a result of the study, funded by Tropicana Products, Inc., Sprecher believes the important thing is for people to drink the freshest possible product, not juice from concentrate. The product should be fortified with vitamin C and enough potassium to meet or exceed the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new food labeling requirement for promoting the health benefits of potassium in relation to blood pressure.
The FDA rule states foods must contain at least 350 mg of potassium and less than 150 mg of sodium to claim a health benefit related to lowering blood pressure. The orange juice used in this study contained 450 mg of potassium per serving and was sodium-free.
"This is something I wouldn't hesitate to add to anyone's diet as an extremely easy intervention that everyone can enjoy," Sprecher says.
Tips for lowering your blood pressure:
Smoking is the single greatest risk factor for developing coronary heart disease (CHD). By stopping smoking now, you can greatly reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and CHD. A diet that is lower in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods significantly and quickly lowers blood pressure, according to the findings of a nationwide trial funded by the National Institutes of Health. Also, by reducing salt (sodium) intake, blood pressure can often be lowered. Sodium intake promotes water retention, which can add to the blood volume and, subsequently, raise blood pressure. Studies have shown that body weight, changes in body weight over years, and body mass index have important effects on blood pressure. Overweight people are much more likely to have high blood pressure. Losing weight can often result in lowering blood pressure. Regular exercise not only helps to control weight but can also lower blood pressure. Your physician can recommend a program of exercise that will be suited to your overall health.
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External Source
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The American College of Cardiology
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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