Anti-hypertensive nutraceuticals and functional foods

J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jun 10;57(11):4485-99. doi: 10.1021/jf900803r.

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that elevated blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD). A close association between blood pressure and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is well established if systolic/diastolic blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg. In recent years, nutraceuticals and functional foods have attracted considerable interest as potential alternative therapies for treatment of hypertension, especially for prehypertensive patients, whose blood pressure is marginally or mildly high but not high enough to warrant the prescription of blood pressure-lowering medications. This review summarizes the findings of recent studies on the chemistry, production, application, efficacy, and mechanisms of popular blood pressure-lowering nutraceuticals and functional foods including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet plan, L-arginine, chlorogenic acid, fermented milk, garlic, onion, tea, soybean, ginger, hawthorn, and fish oil.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blood Pressure
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / diet therapy*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / physiopathology
  • Dietary Supplements* / analysis
  • Food Analysis
  • Humans

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents