Blood pressure is a measure of the force that the blood flowing through your circulatory system places on your artery walls. Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80 or lower. You have hypertension if your blood pressure is 140 over 90 or higher. The area in between normal and hypertension is prehypertension. Ginger and other functional foods can help patients who have prehypertension reverse their condition before it progresses to the point where pharmaceuticals are necessary.
Ginger Research
In a 2009 review of ginger research, Rachel Nicoll and Michael Henein highlight the promising findings in vivo and in animal studies that ginger lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, acts as an antioxidant, reduces cholesterol and acts as a blood thinner. More research is necessary to fully evaluate ginger's effect in humans, but there is great potential for improved cardiovascular outcomes from the combined effects of all of the actions of ginger researched so far.
Mechanisms
Ginger acts in at least two ways to lower blood pressure. Anti-platelet aggregation, or reduced blood clotting, is essentially the same action as seen in pharmaceutical blood thinners like warfarin, but on a smaller scale. Ginger also blocks a calcium channel which would normally induce the contraction of the smooth muscle tissue found in organs and arterial walls. The reduction in smooth muscle contraction results in more relaxed arterial walls that allow blood to flow more freely and at a lower pressure.
Therapeutic Dose
A standardized therapeutic dose has yet to be established for ginger. Recommendations for healthy individuals are between 2 and 4g daily; however, anti-platelet aggregation benefits occur with doses of 5g daily. Because of the blood thinning effects of ginger, it cannot be combined with other blood thinning drugs like warfarin. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new supplement or therapy or changing your prescription drug regimen.
Other Functional Foods
Hypertension can be addressed with multiple lifestyle modifications to prevent, reduce or eliminate the need for pharmaceutical intervention. In addition to ginger, functional foods that aid in the reduction of blood pressure are garlic, onions, fermented milk and soybeans. An overall approach to lifestyle changes is presented in the DASH diet plan, which places emphasis on eating fresh fruits and vegetables and limiting red meats, fats, added salt and alcohol. Regular physical activity is also key to controlling your blood pressure and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
References
- "International Journal of Cardiology"; Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe): A Hot Remedy for Cardiovascular Disease?; Rachel Nicoll and Michael Henein; January 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Ginger; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; November 2008
- "Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology"; Ginger Lowers Blood Pressure Through Blockade of Voltage-Dependent Calcium Channels; Muhammad Ghayur and Anwarul Gilani; January 2005
- "American Journal of Chinese Medicine"; Synergistic Effect of Ginger and Nifedipine on Human Platelet Aggregation: A Study in Hypertensive Patients and Normal Volunteers; Haw-Yaw Young, et al.; 2006
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Anti-hypertensive Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods; Zhen-Yu Chen, et al,; May 2009
