News - Hypertension Week of Jan. 5, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 01

Study: Antioxidants Beneficial in Keeping Blood Pressure Under Control

Antioxidants such as alpha and beta-carotene may play a beneficial role when it comes to keeping blood pressure under control, according to a study reported in the December issue of the journal Hypertension.

Vitamin C has been inversely associated with blood pressure in several epidemiological studies, but little is known about effect of other antioxidant vitamins.

Tulane University researchers examined the relation between vitamins A and E, alpha carotene and beta-carotene levels and blood pressure among 15,317 men and women 20 years of age and over who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Vitamin A and vitamin E were associated with a 43 percent and 18 percent higher risk of hypertension, respectively. The antioxidant vitamins alpha carotene and beta-carotene were associated with a 16 percent and 11 percent lower risk of hypertension, respectively.

"These findings indicate that antioxidant vitamins may be important in the underlying cause and prevention of hypertension," concluded the researchers. "Further studies in this important area are warranted."

Other sources: Hypertension. 2002;40:810