If you are looking for a natural remedy for high blood pressure and you haven’t had your vitamin D levels checked recently, now is the time! It’s likely you have a vitamin D deficiency and are in need of vitamin D supplements to help lower your blood pressure, according to the results from two recent studies.
A large-scale genetic study involving over 155,000 individuals found that low vitamin D levels can cause hypertension.[1] This was the world’s largest study so far to not only examine the relationship between vitamin D and high blood pressure, but to actually prove cause and effect. Many observational studies have already shown definite links between low vitamin D and hypertension but didn’t prove that vitamin D deficiency actually caused the disease. Now we know.
The highest vitamin D levels lowered hypertension risk the most
Those with high vitamin D levels had lower blood pressure and therefore a reduced risk of hypertension. For every 10% increase in vitamin D levels, there was an 8% decrease in the risk of developing hypertension. The results are part of the data from a study known as D-CarDia, a large-scale study involving numerous centers in Europe and North America. The D-CarDia study ultimately aims to establish the causal role of low vitamin D on cardiovascular disease using genetic markers.
Low levels of vitamin D can trigger hypertension
The researchers used genetic variants known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, as proxy markers to reflect individual’s vitamin D status in order to test for a causal association with blood pressure and hypertension. When the results were analyzed, they found a significant link showing that low levels of vitamin D can trigger hypertension.
The data are still unpublished but were presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in June of 2013 by Dr. Vimal Karani S, from the University College London in the UK. Because low vitamin D leves are common throughout the western world, the researchers believe their data have important public health implications.”Our study strongly suggests that some cases of cardiovascular disease could be prevented through vitamin D supplements or food fortification,” said Dr. Karani S.
Is vitamin D a natural remedy for high blood pressure?
If you do have low vitamin D levels, will taking a vitamin D supplement help treat your hypertension? Possibly, according to results of the small number of studies conducted so far. While the latest studies to examine vitamin D as a natural remedy for high blood pressure have been positive, the truth is that results from studies thus far have been mixed and we still don’t know for sure. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study led by a team of doctors from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston recently showed that taking vitamin D3 supplements for three months significantly lowers blood pressure readings.[2]
The highest dose of vitamin D (4000 IU/day) was the most effective natural remedy for high blood pressure
The 250 participants received either placebo, 1000, 2000, or 4000 IU’s of vitamin D3 per day for three months. The results, published in the medical journal Hypertension, showed that as vitamin D levels went up, systolic blood pressure (the top number) went down. While the blood pressure of those taking the placebo increased slightly during the study period, it decreased for those taking the vitamin D. The higher the dose, the more blood pressure was reduced. For those taking 1000 IU of vitamin D3 per day, systolic blood pressure decreased by 0.7 mmHg, for those taking 2000 IU, it decreased by 3.4 mmHg, and for those taking 4000 IU, it decreased by 4.0 mmHg. Overall, the researchers found that systolic blood pressure decreased by an average of -1.4 mm Hg for each additional 1000 IU per day of vitamin D3 taken.
How do you know if you have a vitamin D deficiency and how much vitamin D should you take as a natural remedy for high blood pressure?
Vitamin D is easily measured with a simple, widely-available blood test. You should know your vitamin D level, not just because of its relationship to your blood pressure. Vitamin D is important to every cell and tissue in your body and critical for proper immune function, bone density, heart health, and mood. If your doctor won’t order the test for you, you can do it yourself through various direct-access laboratory websites in most states in the US. The most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. A level of 20 nanograms/milliliter to 50 ng/mL is generally considered adequate for healthy people. However, some research indicates higher levels may be optimal and anyone with hypertension should aim for a minimum of 32 ng/mL.
If your level isn’t at least 32 ng/mL, take 5000 IU vitamin D3 per day for three months and then re-check your levels. You may then need to decrease your dose to a lower “maintenance” dose, such as 1000-2000 IU per day. Even if you don’t have a documented vitamin D deficiency, you should be taking 800-2000 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D3 to maintain optimal levels.
[2] Hypertension. 2013 Apr;61(4):779-85.
This post originally appeared in 2013 and has been updated.
The post Natural Remedy for High Blood Pressure: Vitamin D appeared first on Natural Health Advisory.
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