High blood pressure: Could a popular tea help to lower your reading? Studies weigh in
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High blood pressure describes what happens when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high. This can cause your arteries to constrict and narrow – a process that can hike your risk of heart disease. Fortunately, certain interventions have been shown to reverse this process, in particular a certain tea.
In a study published in the National Library of Health, the effects of green tea consumption on blood pressure were further investigated.
The study noted: “Green tea, derived from the plant Camellia sinensis, is a popular beverage worldwide and the major source of flavonoid intake in the US diet.
It continued: “The most prominent effects of tea on human health have been attributed to green tea, and the health-promoting effects of green tea are mainly attributed to catechins, which belong to a family of compounds known as flavonoid-like polyphenols or flavanols.
“Our meta-analysis showed that green tea consumption significantly lowered blood pressure.”
Evidence from animal and observational studies has linked green tea consumption to a reduction in high blood pressure, although results have been conflicted.
A meta-analysis published in the journal Medicine aimed to conclusively assess the effects of green tea supplementation on measures of blood pressure control.
The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were electronically searched from inception to August 2019 for all relevant studies.
Twenty-four trials with 1,697 subjects were included in the meta-analysis.
The pooled results showed that green tea significantly lowered systolic blood pressure.
A significant reduction of diastolic blood pressure was also observed.
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Clinical research has pointed to green tea extract taken daily for three months or drinking green tea three times per day for four weeks helped to reduce blood pressure.
Analysis of clinical research shows that green tea can reduce systolic blood pressure by up to 3.2 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 3.4 mmHg in people with or without high blood pressure.
However, some smaller studies show that green tea or black tea has no effect on blood pressure.
According to the NHS, high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher (or 150/90mmHg or higher if you’re over the age of 80).
Ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
“Blood pressure readings between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control,” warns the NHS.
It adds: “Everyone’s blood pressure will be slightly different. What’s considered low or high for you may be normal for someone else.”
Other ways of lowering blood pressure include:
- Lose extra pounds especially around the waistline
- Exercise regularly
- Eat a healthy diet
- Reduce sodium in your diet
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
- Quit smoking
- Cut back on caffeine
- Reduce your stress
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