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Nutraceuticals for blood pressure control.

Annals of medicine
January 1, 2015
Cesare R Sirtori et al. (3 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the potential BP-lowering effects of chocolate flavanols and their long-term cardiovascular risk reduction.

Results Summary

The abstract mentions that cocoa flavonoids are supported by a large body of evidence for BP-lowering effects, but long-term safety and efficacy data are still pending from an ongoing large prospective study on chocolate flavanols.

Population

General population with raised cardiovascular risk due to uncomplicated hypertension.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified (short-term studies mentioned, long-term study ongoing)

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (17)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
Significant effects
#1
Mediterranean diet
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
Significant effects
#2
potassium
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#3
L-arginine
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#4
vitamin C
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#5
vitamin D
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#6
cocoa flavonoids
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#7
beetroot juice
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#8
some probiotics
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#9
coenzyme Q10
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#10
controlled-release melatonin
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#11
aged garlic extract
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#12
coffee
decrease
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
supported
#13
green tea
no change
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
not as yet been supported by adequate evidence
#14
flaxseed
no change
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
not as yet been supported by adequate evidence
#15
resveratrol
no change
blood pressure (BP)
-
-
not as yet been supported by adequate evidence
#16
chocolate flavanols
decrease
cardiovascular risk
-
-
will answer the question whether this may reduce
#17
Abstract

Significant effects on blood pressure (BP) have been reported from large nutritional interventions, particularly the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Mediterranean diet. In more recent years, numerous studies have investigated the possible BP-lowering effect of different nutraceuticals; these range from specific foods to minerals, lipids, whole proteins, peptides, amino acids, probiotics, and vitamins. While a very large body of evidence supports the use of potassium, L-arginine, vitamins C and D, cocoa flavonoids, beetroot juice, some probiotics, coenzyme Q10, controlled-release melatonin, aged garlic extract, and coffee, the use of other nutraceuticals, such as green tea, flaxseed, and resveratrol, has not as yet been supported by adequate evidence. In some cases, e.g. proteins/peptides, the responsible component needs also to be fully uncovered. Finally, while for most of the products only short-term studies are available, with no specific end-points, an ongoing very large prospective study on chocolate flavanols will answer the question whether this may reduce cardiovascular risk. Thus, in addition to data on long-term safety, further clinical research is advisable in order to identify, among active nutraceuticals, those with the best cost-effectiveness and risk-benefit ratio for a wide use in the general population with a raised cardiovascular risk consequent to uncomplicated hypertension.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Blood PressureDietary SupplementsHumansHypertensionProspective StudiesRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRisk Factors
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy70/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations27
Citations/Year2.7
Relative Citation Ratio1.33
NIH Percentile60.8%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.78
Normalized Score0.64
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