(WebMD) — Vitamin C supplements may help to lower blood pressure, a new study suggests.
In this review study, scientists analyzed data from 29 different clinical trials and about 1,400 adults aged 22 to 74.
The median dose of supplemental vitamin C taken by the study participants was 500 milligrams a day over a median of an eight-week period. In people who had high blood pressure, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) dropped by nearly 5 points, while diastolic pressure (the bottom number) dropped by about 1.7 points.
“Our research suggests a modest blood pressure lowering effect with vitamin C supplementation,” researcher Edgar “Pete” R. Miller III, MD, PhD, says in a news release.
“But before we can recommend supplements as a treatment for high blood pressure, we really need more research to understand the implications of taking them,” says Miller, an associate professor in the division of general internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Other studies have suggested a possible link between people with higher intakes of vitamin C from food or supplements and lower blood pressure. But the evidence of this effect from clinical trials has been mixed.
Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure, which increases their risk for heart disease and stroke. The condition is typically treated by dietary changes, exercise, not smoking, losing weight, and medication.
Modest Blood Pressure Changes
Across all the studies — some included healthy adults and others had people with high blood pressure — taking vitamin C supplements at a dose of about 500 milligrams a day appeared to reduce systolic blood pressure by nearly 4 points and diastolic pressure by about 1.5 points in about two months.
Fruits and vegetables, especially red pepper, oranges, grapefruits, and kiwi, are the best dietary sources of this antioxidant-rich vitamin.
(5 votes, average: 4.60 out of 5)
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I have been taking VitaminC supplements at 1000mg /day plus fresh fruit and vegatables. I feel better for it and have been convinced for a long time that there is a vast difference between optimum nutrition and recoomended minimum levels of vitamins. The trouble is drug companies cannot make millions from vitamins so there is little effort to push a vitamin based treatment for raised BP.
I have been taking huge amounts of vitamin C for 2 months now and my blood pressure has gone from 160/100 on more than 40 mg Lisinopril to 140/90 on 30 mg, I researched vitamin C and was shocked to find I had many signs of deficiency and none of the doctors I saw ever put it together. C is intimately related to blood pressure because a lack of it causes deterioration in your blood vessels. Research vitamin C!
Many people have a side effect of diarrhea or upset stomach from taking 500 mg of vitamin C or magnesium. What they need to find out is why do some people get diarrhea with supplements of vitamin C and others don’t. I have found just small dozes of vitamin C (250 mg) or Magnesium cause problems with digestion such as diarrhea,cramps,gas ,bloating. Several months ago I took this problem to my E-Mail group and was surprised at the replys I received back from others with the same problem. If U have this problem and/or know a solution please contact me at [email protected]. I’m doing my own research. thanks.
Grape seed extract. 300 mg has a proven effect on lowing pressure across the charts ,healthy origin mega natural-bp grape seed extract the only one clinically studied to have a big effect. Great stuff I have used it now fr a year and have noticed my pressure drop bt 10 points
I take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C everyday and had no problem with diarhea, cramps, gas or bloating. I take the Vitamin with ionized water to neutralized the acidity caused by taking high dosage of this vitamin.
Just make sure you are taking natural vitamin C sold in specialized stores. Forget about synthetically made ascorbic acid vitamins (very dangerous) you find in Walmart and other stores