The U.K. National Health Service's website, NHS Choices, defines hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, as having sustained blood pressure of 140/90 or above. Hypertension is symptom-free, and therefore a person with high blood pressure does not usually feel unwell. However, hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease. You can help prevent hypertension or lower your existing high blood pressure by eating healthfully and reducing your alcohol consumption. The mineral zinc might also help regulate blood pressure, but evidence to prove it is an effective hypertension treatment is lacking. Talk to your doctor before using zinc supplements.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Zinc is a trace mineral that plays an important role in numerous biological and physiological processes, including cell signaling, immune function and bone formation. It might also play a role in the treatment of a number of conditions, including the common cold, cancer, genital warts and diabetes. An article in the Summer 2007 issue of "Biological Trace Element Research" states that zinc is also implicated in blood pressure regulation.
Sources and Administration
A variety of foods contain zinc, including legumes, chicken, fish and whole grains. It is also available as a dietary supplement in capsules or tablets. The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements states that the daily recommended dietary allowance is 11 mg for males over 19 years old and 8 mg for females. Don't take higher doses without consulting a doctor.
Evidence
Findings published in the March 2007 issue of "Biological Trace Elements Research" show that there is an inverse relationship between zinc levels and blood pressure -- low zinc levels are associated with higher blood pressure. However, whether or not zinc supplementation can help lower high blood pressure has not been assessed in clinical trials. It is difficult to know, therefore, whether taking a zinc supplement can benefit hypertension patients.
Safety Considerations
Taking more than 40 mg of zinc daily might cause zinc toxicity, the symptoms of which include nausea, abdominal cramps and headaches. Taking more than 100 mg of zinc daily might increase the risk of prostate cancer, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes. Zinc supplements might also interact with other medicines you might be using, including antibiotics and diuretics.
References
- NHS Choices: Hypertension
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Zinc
- "Biological Trace Element Research"; Role of Zinc in Regulation of Arterial Blood Pressure and in the Etiopathogenesis of Arterial Hypertension; S. Tubek; Summer 2007
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc
- "Biological Trace Elements Research"; Correlations Between Serum Zinc Concentrations and Oxygen Balance Parameters in Patients With Primary Arterial Hypertension; S. Tubek, et al.; March 2007
