High blood pressure is such a common problem among adults. That being said, it is not a condition that is as readily treatable with vitamins or supplements. However, there are some instances where vitamins can act as part of a comprehensive regimen to lower blood pressure. There is a wealth of information out there on this topic, but we believe our perspective—after years of practical experiences treating people’s blood pressures as a comprehensive part of their health and well-being—can be useful. A personalized approach to vitamins is always best, and there are several companies that are offering online vitamin assessments that can help navigate you to an appropriate formula.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of our greatest health problems. In fact, almost 30 percent of U.S. adults suffer from this condition. Perhaps “suffer” is a bit of a misnomer, since as with high cholesterol or early diabetes, this condition often causes little or no symptoms. In its earlier stages, high blood pressure often doesn’t materialize as discomfort; people still feel well and have no complaints. It is only at more advanced stages that people may feel symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, or chest pains.
The deceiving thing about high blood pressure is that you may not know it is present, but it can all the while be causing insidious damage. Its effects on the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and other vital bodily systems can be irreversible if left untreated. High blood pressure is one of the major contributing factors to heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure.
What causes hypertension? The vast majority of cases are what we term as “primary hypertension,” which means a combination of genetic makeup and lifestyle factors cause blood vessels to constrict and raise the pressure. There are much rarer “secondary causes” of high blood pressure that have to do with hormonal imbalances, blood flow to the kidneys, or congenital problems. These unusual conditions need to be ruled out by your doctor in extreme cases of hard-to-control blood pressure. These conditions are far less common than garden-variety hypertension.
So what’s the best way to find and treat hypertension? Firstly, know about it. Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year (more frequently if it has been running high). This can be done in a doctor’s office, pharmacy, or in the comfort of your own house with a variety of home-monitoring devices (make sure to check your device against a quality monitor in a doctor’s office to ensure it is accurate). Goal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower. Hypertension is defined as blood pressure of 140/90. The in-between region, of 130–140/80–90 is considered “prehypertension.” In other words, it is a red zone that could progress to full-on hypertension.
It is not advisable to try to cobble together your own approach to using vitamins and supplements to address blood pressure in the vitamin aisles. Alternatively, look for a company that will do an online assessment of your needs and suggest a targeted blend of daily nutrition. We are living in an age of personalized nutrition, and you do not need to settle for mass market solutions or do-it-yourself approaches to experimenting with vitamin cocktails. The safest bet is to find a personalized vitamin company with physicians that are actively involved and can help guide the assessment process.
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