Calcium & Disease Treatment: High Blood Pressure (hypertension)

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High blood pressure (hypertension)

The relationship between calcium intake and blood pressure has been investigated extensively over the past two decades. An analysis of 23 large observational studies found a reduction in systolic blood pressure of 0.34 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) per 100 mg of calcium consumed daily and a reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 0.15 mm Hg per 100 mg calcium. A large systematic review of 42 randomized controlled trials examining the effect of calcium supplementation on blood pressure compared to placebo found an overall reduction of 1.44 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and a reduction of 0.84 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. Calcium supplementation in these randomized controlled trials ranged from 500-2,000 mg/day, with 1,000-1,500 mg/day being the most common dose. In the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) study, 549 people were randomized to one of three diets for eight weeks: 1) a control diet that was low in fruit, vegetables, and dairy products, 2) a diet rich in fruits (~5 servings/day) and vegetables (~3 servings/day), and 3) a combination diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy products (~3 servings/day). The combination diet represented an increase of about 800 mg of calcium/day over the control and fruit/vegetable rich diets for a total of about 1,200 mg of calcium/day. The combination diet reduced systolic blood pressure 5.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure 3.0 mm Hg more than the control diet, while the fruit/vegetable diet reduced systolic blood pressure 2.8 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure 1.1 mm Hg more than the control diet. Among those participants diagnosed with hypertension, the combination diet reduced systolic blood pressure by 11.4 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 5.5 mm Hg more than the control diet, while the reduction for the fruit/vegetable diet was 7.2 mm Hg systolic and 2.8 mm Hg diastolic compared to the control diet. This research indicates that a calcium intake at the recommended level (1,000-1,200 mg/day) may be helpful in preventing and treating moderate hypertension. More information about the DASH diet is available from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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