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Antioxidant vitamins and blood pressure
Sébastien Czernichow1, Jacques Blacher, Serge Hercberg
1French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM, Unit 557), UMR (INSERM/INRA/CNAM), 5 rue Vertbois, 75003 Paris, France. sebastien.czernichow@cnam.fr
Current Hypertension Reports
|February 20, 2004
Summary
Antioxidants like vitamin C may influence blood pressure, but evidence for oral antioxidant supplements preventing or treating high blood pressure is lacking. Further research on nutritional doses is needed.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cardiovascular Health
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Free radical synthesis is implicated in atherosclerosis.
- Antioxidants (beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E) may counteract free radicals.
- Antioxidants' role in cardiovascular disease prevention via lipid peroxidation modulation is under investigation, with potential links to blood pressure and arterial stiffness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between antioxidant intake and blood pressure.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of antioxidant supplementation in managing hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Review of observational epidemiologic studies.
- Analysis of clinical trials investigating antioxidant effects on blood pressure.
- Examination of associations between dietary/serum antioxidant levels and blood pressure.
Main Results:
- Observational studies suggest an inverse association between fruit/vegetable intake, vitamin C, retinol, and beta-carotene with blood pressure.
- Clinical trials using high-dose antioxidant supplements show inconsistent effects on blood pressure.
- No current evidence supports oral antioxidant supplementation for preventing or treating high blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- While observational data suggest a link between antioxidants and blood pressure, high-dose supplementation trials are inconclusive.
- Further large-scale studies are required to ascertain the impact of nutritional doses of antioxidants on blood pressure.