Having high blood pressure, or hypertension, may increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Many factors may cause high blood pressure, including genetics, diet and lifestyle. Evidence from several sources suggests that consuming vitamin B9, also called folate or folic acid, may reduce your risk of hypertension. Consult your doctor to determine if adding folic acid to your regimen is advisable for you.
What Blood Pressure Is
Blood moving through blood vessels exerts pressure on the vessel walls. When the heart beats, the resulting pressure is called systolic pressure, the top number in a blood pressure reading. Between beats, the amount of pressure is diastolic pressure, indicated by the bottom number in a reading. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80; a consistently higher reading is too high and potentially damaging.
What Folic Acid Is
Folic acid is one of the B vitamins, sometimes called vitamin B-9. The natural form provided by food is called folate. It is very important during development, especially in pregnant women, infants and children. It also helps break down homocysteine, a compound found in blood that damages cells lining arteries. When these cells are damaged, the vessel may become less elastic, making high blood pressure more likely. Consuming folate-rich foods or taking folic acid may lessen the risk of damage to these important cells.
Evidence
In 2005, Dr. John Forman et al. published a study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" indicating that the risk of hypertension among over 93,000 women was lessened over an eight-year period by intake of folic acid. In young women who consumed 1,000 micrograms of folate daily, the researchers found a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of hypertension. Older women also saw a similar benefit, although the reduction in risk was lower. A later study by Dr. Forman et al., published in 2009 in the same journal confirmed the beneficial effects of folic acid in additional women subjects.
Sources and Recommendations
The natural vitamin folate is provided by many foods, including spinach, beans, asparagus, rice, peanuts, oranges and eggs. Many foods such as breakfast cereals and breads are fortified with the synthetic form, folic acid. Folic acid is also contained in most multivitamins and is available separately as a supplement from health food stores. The recommended intake is 400 micrograms daily for adults, and less for children, depending on age. Do not consume more than 1,000 micrograms daily, and consult your doctor to determine the correct amount for your situation.
References
- JAMA: "Folate Intake and the Risk of Incident Hypertension Among US Women", Forman, J. et al, "Journal of the American Medical Association", 2005.
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
- Medline Plus: High Blood Pressure
- KCRA: Study: Folate Good for Women's Blood Pressure
- JAMA: "Diet and Lifestyle Risk Factors Associated With Incident Hypertension in Women", Forman, J. et al, "Journal of the American Medical Association", 2009.
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What is HIgh Blood Pressure?
