Calcium is a powerful mineral you need in large doses each day. Consuming dairy foods, beans and certain vegetables provides essential calcium to help keep your blood pressure on track, but in some cases, you may not ingest enough or can have problems with absorption. If your blood pressure is high, your doctor may suggest taking a calcium supplement to get it back down. To avoid any adverse effects or interactions with your medications, check with your doctor before you decide to take a supplement on your own.
How It Works
Calcium has the highest concentrations in your body, compared to other minerals, with about 99 percent residing in bones and the remaining 1 percent supporting other functions. Blood pressure control is one of the other functions calcium is responsible for, aiding in heart contractions. Your body works hard to regulate calcium levels in your blood, so that you always have enough to support skeletal structure as well as metabolic functions.
Dairy Products and Blood Pressure
According to research published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2009, consuming dairy foods can improve your blood pressure. Subjects in the study had a diagnosis of hypertension, or high blood pressure. Those with the greatest benefit were assigned to a group that followed a diet rich in dairy, fruits and vegetables for five weeks. At the end of the study, these select participants had an average of 2 mmHg decrease in both systolic, the number on top, and diastolic, the number on bottom, blood pressure measurements. Researchers conclude that consuming dairy foods helps maintain blood calcium levels, aiding in lowering your blood pressure.
Calcium Supplements and Blood Pressure
Other research published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2010 looked into the effects of calcium supplements on blood pressure in healthy older men. The men were assigned to one of three supplement groups -- placebo, 600 mg per day or 1,200 mg per day of calcium. At the end of the two-year study, men in the 1,200 mg group had the greatest blood pressure benefits -- 4.2 mmHg decrease in systolic and 3.3 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure. While these effects are not significant, considering the length of the study, researchers suggest that calcium supplements may be beneficial for lowering blood pressure if you don't consume enough calcium through your diet.
Dosage
Keep your blood pressure low and support other functions by ingesting 1,000 mg of calcium daily. This recommendation jumps to 1,200 mg after age 70, when you have a greater risk of bone loss and fractures, explains the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Milk, a popular source of calcium, provides around 300 mg per 8 oz. serving. Spinach provides 115 mg per 1/2-cup cooked serving, while the same portion of sauteed rhubarb contains as much as 175 mg. Red beans and pinto beans each have more than 40 mg per 1/2-cup cooked portion. Additionally, many fortified breakfast cereals and juices provide the calcium you need.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Effects of Dairy Products on Intracellular Calcium and Blood Pressure in Adults with Essential Hypertension; Kirsten F. Hilpert, et al.; April 2009
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of Calcium Supplementation on Lipids, Blood Pressure, and Body Composition in Healthy Older Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial; Ian R. Reid, et al.; January 2010
