Vitamin C Lowers Blood Pressure

About 68 million Americans have high blood pressure putting them at added risk for kidney problems, heart disease and stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by the time they reach their 60s, about two-thirds of all men and women have high blood pressure.

A factor in the hypertension epidemic may be a lack of vitamin C.  Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that large doses of vitamin C can moderate blood pressure.

“Our research suggests a modest blood pressure lowering effect with vitamin C supplementation, but before we can recommend supplements as a treatment for high blood pressure, we really need more research to understand the implications of taking them,” says researcher Edgar R. Miller III, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Scientists have focused on vitamin C’s potential role in blood pressure reduction because of the nutrient’s biological and physiological effects. For example, vitamin C may act as a diuretic, causing the kidneys to remove more sodium and water from the body, which helps to relax the blood vessel walls, thereby lowering blood pressure.