Besides the restriction of sodium, there are some nutrients that may help lower blood pressure. For example, one meta-analysis found that supplementation of potassium lowered blood pressure by about 4–5 mmHg.[1] Beetroot juice may also lower blood pressure,[2] which may be partially driven by nitrate content,[3] but also by mechanisms independent of nitrate. Garlic also probably lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension. The form doesn't seem to matter much for lowering systolic blood pressure, but garlic powder may outperform aged garlic extract when it comes to lowering diastolic pressure.[4]
References
- ^Jalal Poorolajal, Fatemeh Zeraati, Ali Reza Soltanian, Vida Sheikh, Elham Hooshmand, Akram MalekiOral potassium supplementation for management of essential hypertension: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPLoS One.(2017 Apr 18)
- ^Bahadoran Z, Mirmiran P, Kabir A, Azizi F, Ghasemi AThe Nitrate-Independent Blood Pressure-Lowering Effect of Beetroot Juice: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisAdv Nutr.(2017 Nov 15)
- ^Ammar W Ashor, Jose Lara, Mario SiervoMedium-term effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysisJ Hypertens.(2017 Jul)
- ^Ried KGarlic Lowers Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Individuals, Regulates Serum Cholesterol, and Stimulates Immunity: An Updated Meta-analysis and ReviewJ Nutr.(2016 Feb)