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Exercise in a pill could be the new way to fix high blood pressure
Have you ever thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could skip the exercise and take a magic pill that could do it all for me?”
I know it crosses my mind just about every time I set foot in the gym.
Unfortunately, we all know that to get the health benefits, you have to put in the work, right?
Well, maybe not for too much longer when it comes to lowering your blood pressure…
That’s because scientists from the University of Toledo in Ohio have discovered how to get the blood pressure-lowering benefits of prolonged exercise — without the exercise!
But hold onto your hats because it gets even better: the researchers think it’s not far off to think we might get that exercise-mimicking pill after all — and you could stop worrying so much about salt in your diet because it fixes that too!
Simulating ketosis
We have a compound produced by the liver to thank for the possibility of an exercise/blood pressure-lowering pill.
The compound is known as beta-hydroxybutyrate, or BHB, and it’s a ketone body made in the liver when it metabolizes fatty acids.
Previous studies have shown that these ketone bodies have a significant blood pressure-lowering effect.
One of the most well-known ways to raise the levels of ketone bodies, like BHB, is to create a state of ketosis in the body. And that can happen when you restrict calories (especially calories from carbohydrates) or exercise.
That’s why diet (usually one that eschews salt) and exercise (lots of it) are at the top of the list of lifestyle changes to help combat high blood pressure.
Of course, salt being a problem with salt-sensitive hypertension is not new news. But the potential to fix it without exercising and giving up salt is…
The study by the Ohio researchers, and published in the journal Cell, found that diets high in salt lower ketone levels in the body, resulting in the classic symptom of high blood pressure you see with those types of diets.
But in their study involving rats, Professor Bina Joe, study author, said,“When we put beta-hydroxybutyrate back in the system, normal blood pressure is restored.”
Prefessor Bina added, “We have an opportunity to control salt-sensitive hypertension without exercising.”
This makes the possibility of getting BHB in a pill a viable option to lower blood pressure for people who face physical challenges to exercise.
But what can you do in the meantime?
Love your liver to lower blood pressure
This study was the first study to target liver function to control blood pressure.
According to the scientists, BHB’s power comes from its ability to lower inflammation in your kidneys — after it’s produced and travels from your liver. The reduced inflammation leads to reduced blood pressure.
“By fixing the kidney, it is indirectly contributing to the lowering of blood pressure”, said Professor Joe.
Even though that exercise-mimicking pill may not be available for a while there are supplements available that could help you fight the inflammation mechanism that hinders the effect of keytone bodies — starting with fish oil.
Whenever the inflammation abomination is discovered as the underlying root of another chronic disease, we have to revisit the inflammation-fighting power of omega-3s.
Too many studies to date have pretty much solidified omega-3s’ reputation as a safe and effective inflammation buster. The only thing you have to worry about with omega-3s is getting them from a clean source. That’s why my personal preference is krill oil.
Boosting the health of your liver would also be a wise thing to do. Your body’s main detoxing organ works hard daily to keep you healthy. Avoid unhealthy fats that could lead to fatty liver.
And avoid excess salt. Every time you consume salt, you’re reducing the ketone bodies being produced by your liver that help lower your blood pressure.
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Source:
- High blood pressure control with ‘exercise in a pill’ — Medical News Today