To Solve Hypertension,
Address Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is
by far the leading trigger for hypertension
today. It is also a very correctable cause.
Correcting metabolic syndrome can have a
tremendous impact on blood pressure. The most
powerful way to regain control of multifaceted
metabolic syndrome is to lose weight, and there
are many ways to do it. People with metabolic
syndrome respond especially well to diets that
restrict carbohydrates and focus on low “glycemic
index” foods that blunt the release of blood
sugar. Several low-carb diets are very popular
now, largely due to the exaggerated success of
carbohydrate restriction in a world overrun with
metabolic syndrome.6
These diets come in a variety of names and
packages, including Atkins, South Beach, Zone,
and others. If you succeed in losing weight on
any of these programs, you are very likely to
reduce your blood pressure enough (frequently by
10-40 mmHg systolic) to cut down your list of
medications. Of course, discontinuing
medications should be done only under a doctor’s
supervision.
If you are contemplating one
of these diets but would like to accelerate your
weight-loss and metabolic-control efforts, the
following supplements and strategies can boost
your chances of success.
Glucomannan
is a unique fiber from konjac root that soaks up
huge quantities of water. When taken as a
capsule, it provides the effect of filling the
stomach and creating a feeling of fullness and
satiety. The result is that your appetite is
diminished and you eat less. Glucomannan works
best when taken before meals with plenty of
water. People using glucomannan alone and
without a specific diet program generally lose
4-7 pounds a month.7,8
Glucomannan is available
in a novel fiber supplement called PGX™.
White bean
extract
can accelerate weight loss, particularly if you
have a pattern of low HDL and high
triglycerides. A dose of 1500 mg taken twice
daily with meals can lead to 3–4 pounds of
weight loss in the first month. White bean
extract inhibits an enzyme involved in
carbohydrate digestion. While some people may
experience gas or mild bloating, white bean
extract generally has few side effects.9
DHEA’s
effects on weight loss have been inconclusive,
with some studies demonstrating benefit and
others failing to show any difference. However,
a recently reported, well-conducted study at
Washington
University in St. Louis
described dramatic results in a group of 56
participants aged 65–78. Over a six-month
period, a daily dose of 50 mg of DHEA taken at
bedtime yielded significant reductions in
abdominal fat (the kind that causes metabolic
syndrome) as measured by highly accurate
abdominal MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
Along with a loss of abdominal fat, the study’s
subjects also saw marked improvement in insulin
sensitivity. By contrast, the comparison placebo
group experienced an increase in abdominal fat
and a deterioration in insulin sensitivity over
the same period.10 Although more data are
needed, this study argues powerfully in favor of
DHEA supplementation to accelerate weight loss,
trim abdominal fat, and improve insulin
sensitivity. By assisting in weight loss and
addressing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome,
DHEA holds great promise for helping to manage
hypertension.
Calcium
pyruvate
accelerates weight loss, usually cutting a few
extra pounds over several weeks, while also
making exercise easier and more enjoyable, thus
enabling you to exercise longer and harder with
faster recovery. Despite its effects in
accelerating weight loss, calcium pyruvate is
not a stimulant and has been found to be safe
and effective.11
Losing weight and improving
metabolic syndrome will yield many benefits,
including higher HDL, lower triglycerides, less
inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and
lower blood pressure. The amount of weight loss
required to improve metabolic syndrome and
decrease blood pressure varies among
individuals. Some people experience dramatic
improvement in all measures with a modest loss
of 10 pounds, while others may need to lose
significantly more weight to achieve the desired
effects. The best course is to work with your
physician to devise an effective weight-loss
plan.
High blood pressure signifies
an abnormal tendency for the body’s arteries to
constrict. This is true of arteries in the arms
and legs, the brain, the heart, and other areas.
The ability to correct this abnormal effect may
be essential to controlling blood pressure.
This insight dates back to
1980, when Dr. Robert Furchgott of the State
University of New York conducted experiments on
rabbit arteries, trying to decipher how arteries
control their state of constriction or tone.
Entirely by accident, he noticed that arteries
constricted when their inner linings were
removed. Dr. Furchgott theorized that the inner
lining, or endothelium, is necessary to permit
the normal dilating behavior of arteries, and
that a damaged endothelium prevents this
phenomenon.
What followed was a
concerted effort to identify the factor or
factors produced by the endothelium that
governed relaxation. Dr. Furchgott originally
called this mysterious substance
“endothelium-derived relaxation factor,” or
EDRF. For several years, identification of EDRF
proved elusive, as it persisted for a mere few
seconds before disappearing.12
In 1986, EDRF was discovered to be nitric
oxide.13 This discovery initially drew
skepticism, as nitric oxide is a common gaseous
byproduct of nitrogen combustion, which is
plentiful in automobile exhaust. How could it be
the critical cellular messenger controlling
arterial tone?
Dr. Furchgott’s
discovery has endured intense scrutiny and was
honored by the 1998 Nobel Prize for Medicine,
which he shared with his colleagues Drs. Louis
Ignarro and Ferid Murad for their related work.
Today, nitric oxide is recognized as the
signaling molecule for many physiological
processes, as well as the single most powerful
artery-dilating agent known to medicine.12-14
“We now know that the
endothelium exerts tremendous control over blood
flow. First, its prime location plays a role.
Because the endothelium is the inner-most lining
of the blood vessel, it has direct contact with
blood and, as such, serves as an interface
between the blood and the vessel wall . . . We
now know that this delicate tissue, only one
cell layer in thickness, is a dynamic factory,
producing a myriad of substances that maintain
vessel health. It is, in essence, a silver
lining—since when it’s healthy, it produces its
own forms of heart medicine.”
—Dr. John Cooke,
Stanford University
Because of nitric oxide’s
extremely short life of no more than 10 seconds,
a constant supply is required to keep arteries
dilated and relaxed. Any drop in nitric oxide
production causes arteries to constrict.
Cholesterol abnormalities, high blood pressure,
inflammation, high blood sugar or diabetes, a
high-fat diet, and sugary, refined foods all
impair the endothelial cells’ ability to produce
nitric oxide. Metabolic syndrome has the same
effect, leading to repeated damage to the artery
linings that triggers atherosclerotic plaque
formation, or “endothelial dysfunction.” When
arteries are lined with even a microscopically
thin layer of plaque, they are less able to
produce nitric oxide, yielding even more injury.
How can factors as
diverse as diabetes, fatty foods, and
inflammation all disrupt the endothelium’s
control over arterial relaxation? Much of this
abnormal arterial constriction, or endothelial
dysfunction, occurs in situations involving high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, high
triglycerides, diabetes and insulin resistance,
high homocysteine, and atherosclerotic plaque.15-18
What About Antioxidants?
In addition to the
previously discussed mechanisms, hypertension
may also be induced by the presence of oxidative
stressors. This theory arises from the
observation that hypertension can be produced
experimentally by various oxidative molecules,
such as superoxide. Superoxide disables the
vasodilator nitric oxide by forming
peroxynitrite, a potent constrictor of arteries.19
Thus, antioxidants may play a role in
maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Vitamin C is an
antioxidant whose role in helping to regulate
blood pressure has been the subject of numerous
of clinical trials. To date, the study results
have been mixed, with some showing that vitamin
C reduces blood pressure and others showing no
effect.20
Based on existing
clinical studies, the one antioxidant that
stands out as truly effective by itself in
lowering blood pressure is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
Eight studies have examined CoQ10’s effects on
blood pressure, and the pooled data show that
CoQ10 supplementation helped lower systolic
pressure by an impressive 16 mmHg and diastolic
pressure by 10 mmHg. The doses studied generally
ranged from 50 to 200 mg a day.21
Recent reports have
suggested that lowering blood pressure is not
enough to eliminate high blood pressure’s
contribution to cardiovascular events such as
heart attack and death. Reduction of abnormal
heart muscle thickening, or “hypertrophy,” as
measured by ultrasound, may also be a necessary
component of treatment.22
This effect is not accomplished by every
prescription antihypertensive medication.
Interesting data from the University of
Texas-Austin suggest that abnormal hypertrophy
resulting from high blood pressure can be
substantially regressed with CoQ10 treatment.23,24
Conclusion
The growing prevalence of
metabolic syndrome has made it an increasingly
important contributor to hypertension. Metabolic
syndrome is a controllable and largely
correctable condition. Weight loss is the
principal means of regaining control over this
process, by improving blood pressure and
numerous other markers of health.
Antioxidant research has
great potential in the field of blood pressure
control. By reducing such blood vessel
constrictors as the oxidant peroxynitrite,
antioxidants may hold great benefits for the
cardiovascular system. In particular,
significant data support the use of coenzyme Q10
for reducing blood pressure.
Hypertension is a silent,
potentially deadly condition that affects
millions of Americans. Through a combination of
lifestyle modifications and nutritional
strategies, it is possible to improve your blood
pressure by natural means. Optimizing blood
pressure is a critical part of a daily wellness
program for those seeking to live long, healthy
lives.
Dr. William Davis is an
author, lecturer, and practicing cardiologist
focusing on coronary disease regression. He is
the author of the book Track Your Plaque. He can
be contacted at
www.trackyourplaque.com.
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