Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure. It is important to work with your doctor, because untreated high blood pressure may damage organs in the body and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. See a drawing of a hypertensive heart. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
There is some evidence that the supplement CoQ10 may help to reduce high blood pressure.


A 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 83 people with systolic hypertension examined the effect of CoQ10 supplements (60 mg twice daily). After the 12 weeks, there was a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 17.8 mm Hg in the Coq10-treated group.

Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at the effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure and glycemic control in 74 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200mg of the drug fenfibrate, both, or neither for 12 weeks.

CoQ10 significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mean reduction 6.1 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg respectively). There was also a reduction in HbA1C, a marker for long-term glycemic control.
To learn more about CoQ10, read the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) fact sheet.

Garlic
In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure.

Garlic supplements should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Garlic may interact with many drugs and supplements such as the prescription "blood-thinners" drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline), aspirin, vitamin E, gingko. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery.

To learn more about garlic, go to the articles about garlic.

Hawthorn
The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure.


In a randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers in Reading, UK, 79 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 1200 mg of hawthorn extract a day or placebo for 16 weeks. Medication for high blood pressure was used by 71% of the patients.

At the end of the 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significant reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure (2.6 mm Hg). No herb-drug interactions were reported.

Fish oil
Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Although fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn more about fish oil.


Folic acid
Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels.


One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure. Learn more about folic acid.

Diet
Changing your diet is an important part of lowering high blood pressure. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Insitutes of Health (NIH).

The DASH diet includes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, beans and nuts. Sodium is limited to 2,400 mg per day.

Studies have found that the DASH diet can reduce high blood pressure within two weeks. These are the daily guidelines of the DASH diet:

7 to 8 servings of grains

4 to 5 servings of vegetables

4 to 5 servings of fruit

2 to 3 servings of low-fat or non-fat dairy

2 or less servings of meat, fish, or poultry

2 to 3 servings of fats and oils

4 to 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds, and dry beans

Less than 5 servings a week of sweets

Serving Sizes
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
1 slice bread
1 cup raw vegetables or fruit
1/2 cup cooked vegetables or fruit
8 oz. of milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 ounces cooked meat
3 ounces tofu

A related diet called the DASH-Sodium reduces sodium to 1,500 mg a day, which is approximately equal to 2/3 teaspoon from all sources (processed and canned foods contain hidden salt).

Patients following the DASH-Sodium diet had a significant reduction in high blood pressure.
More: The Salt Wars: Is Salt Restriction Necessary?

Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium
Calcium. Calcium supplementation appears to have a modest but statistically significiant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference of 2.5 mm Hg), however better quality studies are needed. Learn more about getting enough calcium in your diet.

Potassium. A meta-analysis of five trials indicated that potassium supplementation compared to a control resulted in a large but statistically non-significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference 11.2 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (5.0 mm hg). Learn about potassium in the diet and find out which foods have potassium.
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About Potassium:
Potassium is a dietary mineral that is generally quite abundant in most people's diets, so most healthy people get plenty from their diets. Due to illness, however, some people need to restrict their dietary potassium intake and some people may actually need to increase their intake. If you have any questions about your potassium levels, please speak to your doctor.
Why You Need Potassium:
You need this mineral:
as a component for balancing the pH of your body
for normal water balance in your body
for normal muscle growth
for healthy nervous system and brain function
Measuring Potassium With Blood Tests:
Most of your potassium is found inside the cells in your body. Only about two percent is found in the blood. Your body likes to keep the amount of potassium in your blood fairly level.
Abnormal Blood Potassium Levels:
Blood levels of potassium may fluctuate due to kidney disease, diabetes, vomiting, as a side effect to certain medications, fluctuating hormone levels, amount of potassium in the diet and blood pH.

Potassium in Foods:
If your potassium levels are too high, you doctor may tell you to go on a potassium-restricted diet. If your potassium levels are too low, your doctor may tell you to get more potassium in your diet. Here is a list of foods rich in potassium:

raisins
prunes
apricots
dates
strawberries
bananas
watermelon
cantaloupe
citrus fruits
beets
greens
spinach
tomatoes
mushrooms
soy products
veggie burgers
peas
beans
turkey
fish
beef
salmon
cod

Magnesium. In 12 randomized controlled trials, participants receiving magnesium supplements did not have a significantly reduction in systolic blood pressure, but they did have a statistically signicantly reduction in diastolic blood pressure (mean difference 2.2 mm Hg). \

Most dietary magnesium comes from vegetables, particularly dark green, leafy vegetables. Other foods that are good sources of magnesium are:
Legumes and seeds
Nuts (such as almonds and cashews)
Whole grains (such as brown rice and millet)
Fruits or vegetables (such as bananas, dried apricots, and avocados)