More than 750,000 adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Risk factors for high blood pressure include a salt-rich diet, obesity and low levels of physical activity. In addition to a healthy lifestyle, consuming probiotics may help combat high blood pressure.
Background
Although you may associate bacteria with infection and disease, probiotics -- healthy bacteria -- actually support your body's health, Harvard University reports. It notes that probiotics can aid in healthy digestion, reduce the incidence of colds and flus and combat urinary tract infections. Probiotics may also be helpful in the treatment of high blood pressure.
Mechanisms
High levels of blood cholesterol strains the cardiovascular system, which can increase blood pressure in certain people. Probiotics help reduce cholesterol levels by "eating" the cholesterol in your intestine, which can lower blood cholesterol over time. Elevated blood sugar levels can cause high blood pressure. Also, probiotics can aid in reducing elevated blood sugar levels by combating insulin resistance and increasing your pancreatic production of insulin.
Evidence
A research review published in the September 2009 "International Journal of Molecular Sciences" and conducted by Huey-Shi Lye, PhD of the Universiti Sains Malaysia notes that several animal and test tube research studies have found probiotics to be beneficial to the treatment of high blood pressure. However, a paper published in the July 2007 "Nutrition Reviews" states that the blood pressure-lowering effects of probiotics are not yet conclusive due to a lack of research on human subjects.
Considerations
High blood pressure is a sign of cardiovascular disease that should be treated under the supervision of your doctor. Harvard states that probiotics are generally safe and well tolerated. However, if you have intestinal damage or impaired immunity you should avoid probiotics. Natural sources of probiotics include fermented tofu, kefir and yogurt. Probiotics are also available in supplement form.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Hypertension
- Harvard Medical School: Health benefits of taking probiotics
- "International Journal of Molecular Sciences"; The Improvement of Hypertension by Probiotics: Effects on Cholesterol, Diabetes, Renin, and Phytoestrogens; Huey-Shi Lye et al.; September 2009
- "Nutrition Reviews"; Probiotics: A Critical Review of Their Potential Role as Antihypertensives, Immune Modulators, Hypocholesterolemics, and Perimenopausal Treatments; M Liong et al.; July 2007
