There is promising evidence that pomegranate extract can lower your blood pressure and reduce damage to your arteries. Pomegranate fruit is a source of vitamin C and polyphenols, antioxidants that help ward off cell damage. According to Arpita Basu, Ph.D., a professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University, pomegranate juice contains three times more antioxidants than either wine or green tea. As with all supplements, check with your physician before using pomegranate extract.
About Hypertension
One in three Americans has hypertension, or consistently high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Untreated hypertension can damage your heart, arteries, brain and kidneys. Even a slightly elevated pressure, as low as 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, can indicate pre-hypertension, meaning you have a greater risk of developing hypertension. Systolic pressure measures how hard your heart works to pump blood, while diastolic pressure measures how hard blood is pumped through your veins. Untreated hypertension can lead to atherosclerosis, a type of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of your arteries. Atherosclerosis can restrict blood flow, forcing your heart to work harder to pump blood.
Effectiveness
In the June 2004 issue of "Clinical Nutrition," Dr. Michael Aviram discusses the results of a study in which 19 hypertensive men and women consumed 50 ml of pomegranate juice every day for up to three years. The participants' systolic pressure rates dropped by 12 percent after 12 months of drinking pomegranate juice daily. The control group experienced no significant change in systolic pressure. The patients who continued drinking pomegranate juice for up to three years sustained their 12 percent systolic pressure reduction. Dr. Basu reviewed past research, studying the effectiveness of pomegranate. In the January 2009 issue of "Nutrition Reviews," she wrote that pomegranate showed a "significant" effect in both human and mouse studies, decreasing systolic blood pressure rates and reducing arterial damage caused by atherosclerosis.
Dosage
There is no standard dosage for pomegranate extract, which is available as a powder, or in pills and capsules. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that 8 to 12 oz. of pomegranate juice daily is safe, as long as it contains no added sugar. According to Dr. Basu, past research supports the safety of taking up to 1,420 mg of pomegranate extract daily, up to four weeks.
Warning
Further human studies must be done to prove that pomegranate extract effectively lowers high blood pressure. If you are currently being treated for hypertension, know that pomegranate extract or juice may interact with some of your medication, including diltiazem, hydrochlorothiazide, enalapril, losartan and others. Pomegranate may also interact with warfarin, a medication used to prevent blood clots, and carbamazepine, a seizure medication. Remember to check with your physician before taking any supplements.
References
- "Nutrition Reviews"; Pomegranate Juice: A Heart-Healthy Fruit Juice; Arpita Basu, Ph.D., et al.; January 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: High Blood Pressure Facts
- "Clinical Nutrition"; Pomegranate Juice Consumption for Three Years by Patients With Carotid Artery Stenosis Reduces Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Blood Pressure and LDL Oxidation; Michael Aviram, D.Sc., et al.; June 2004
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Pomegranate
- "Effects of Herbal Supplements on Clinical Laboratory Test Results"; Amitava Dasgupta, Ph.D.; 2011
