Protein May Be Key to Lowering Blood Pressure

A high protein diet may be key to reducing blood pressure levels, according to recent findings published in the American Journal of Hypertension.

New findings showed that individuals who consumed higher amounts of protein in their diets were less likely to develop high blood pressure. In fact, study findings revealed that participants who ate the highest amounts of protein had a 40 percent lower risk of developing hypertension when compared to those with the lowest intake levels.

For the study, researchers analyzed the protein intake of healthy participants from the Framingham Offspring Study and followed them for any development of high blood pressure over an 11-year period.

Study findings revealed that those who consumed more animal or plant protein had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure after four years during the follow-up period. They were also less likely to be overweight.

Furthermore, study results showed that higher protein intake was linked to lower long-term risks for high blood pressure that may explain why diets that contain high intakes of fiber and protein correlate with a 40 percent to 60 percent decrease in the risk of hypertension.

"These results provide no evidence to suggest that individuals concerned about the development of HBP should avoid dietary protein. Rather, protein intake may play a role in the long-term prevention of HBP," concluded corresponding author Lynn Moore, associate professor of medicine at BUSM, in a news release. "This growing body of research on the vascular benefits of protein, including this study, suggest we need to revisit optimal protein intake for optimal heart health."