Article at a glance:
- Spirulina is a blue-green algae superfood found in freshwater and saltwater bodies worldwide.
- Spirulina offers many health benefits because of its rich nutritional profile. One of the most notable benefits is its effects on people with hypertension.
- This superfood can also lower cholesterol and neutralize free radicals that can damage lipids.
Is spirulina good for high blood pressure? Given its many benefits, you may wonder if this popular superfood can also help your cardiovascular system. You’re in luck because the answer is a big YES. Many of its health benefits not only positively affect your blood vessels but your entire cardiovascular system as a whole.
Curious to know the spirulina blood pressure benefits that you can reap? Read on to find out more.
What Is Spirulina?
Spirulina is a kind of blue-green algae usually found in freshwater and saltwater. Considered a superfood, this cyanobacterium is widely used as a supplement because of its dense nutritional profile and health benefits. It contains numerous nutrients, including chlorophyll.
Regularly taking spirulina is known to provide many health benefits. From heart to mental health, spirulina supplements are easily some of the best ones you can take. On top of that, the benefits it provides are backed by scientific evidence, so you don’t have to doubt its effectiveness.
Spirulina’s Nutritional Profile
If you take it regularly, spirulina may bring a long list of nutrients that support your overall health.
Based on the profile for spirulina done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, here are a few healthy compounds found in one tablespoon of spirulina.
- Calcium: 8.4 mg
- Copper: 0.427 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
- Magnesium: 13.6 mg
- Niacin: 6% of daily recommended value
- Essential Fatty Acids: around 1 g
- Phosphorus: 8.26 mg
- Potassium: 95.2 mg
- Protein: 4 g
- Riboflavin: 20% of daily recommended value
- Thiamin: 14% of daily recommended value
What Is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common medical condition characterized by elevated force against the artery walls while blood circulates in the body. Several factors can contribute to the development of high blood pressure.
Non-modifiable Risk Factors
These are factors beyond an individual’s control and include:
- Age: Blood pressure tends to increase as blood vessels lose their elasticity.
- Family History: A family history of hypertension can increase susceptibility to the condition.
- Genetics: Some individuals may be predisposed to high blood pressure.
Modifiable Risk Factors
These factors can be influenced or managed through lifestyle changes and medical interventions. They include:
- Unhealthy Diet: Diets high in sodium (salt), saturated and trans fats, and low in potassium and other nutrients can contribute to high blood pressure.
- Lack of Physical Activity: Weight gain and increased blood pressure are the common results of a sedentary lifestyle.
- Obesity: Excess body weight puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels, thereby elevating blood pressure.
- Tobacco Use: Smoking or chewing tobacco can temporarily raise blood pressure and damage blood vessels over time.
- Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Consuming too much alcohol can lead to chronic high blood pressure.
- Stress: Chronic stress can temporarily elevate blood pressure and, when persistent, contribute to hypertension.
- Sleep Apnea: It can cause intermittent drops in blood oxygen levels, which leads to increased blood pressure.
- Kidney Disease: Impaired kidney function can disrupt the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance, affecting blood pressure regulation.
- Certain Medications: Some medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and decongestants, can raise blood pressure.
Preventive measures include adopting a heart-healthy diet (e.g., the DASH diet), engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol and sodium intake, managing stress, and quitting smoking. Sometimes, medication prescribed by a healthcare professional may be necessary to control blood pressure effectively.
Individuals with risk factors or a family history of hypertension should be vigilant and proactive in managing their health to reduce the likelihood of developing high blood pressure or its complications. Regular check-ups with a healthcare provider can help monitor blood pressure and assess overall cardiovascular health.
What Can Happen If You Have Hypertension?
Hypertension is called the “silent killer,” as you may already have it without noticeable symptoms. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to a range of potentially life-threatening complications.
Here are some of the significant health risks associated with high blood pressure:
- Heart Disease: High blood pressure places extra strain on the heart as it pumps blood against elevated arterial resistance. Over time, this can lead to several heart-related complications, including:
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): High blood pressure can cause the coronary arteries (which supply blood to the heart muscle) to narrow and become less efficient, increasing the risk of heart attacks.
- Heart Failure: The heart may become less effective at pumping blood, potentially leading to heart failure, where the heart can’t meet the body’s demand for oxygen and nutrients.
- Stroke: Hypertension is a leading cause of strokes. It damages blood vessels in the brain or causes blood clots, obstructing blood flow to parts of the brain and resulting in a stroke. Strokes can lead to disability or death.
- Kidney Damage: High blood pressure can harm the blood vessels in the kidneys. This affects the kidney’s ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. This can eventually lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
- Eye Problems: Hypertension can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, potentially leading to vision problems or even blindness.
- Aneurysms: High blood pressure can weaken and bulge the walls of arteries, which can result in aneurysms. If it ruptures, it will be a life-threatening internal bleeding.
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): The narrowed arteries associated with high blood pressure can reduce blood flow to the limbs, leading to peripheral artery disease. This can cause leg pain, tissue damage, and, in severe cases, gangrene.
- Cognitive Decline: Some studies suggest a link between uncontrolled high blood pressure and cognitive decline (i.e., higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease).
- Sexual Dysfunction: It may lead to erectile dysfunction in men and reduced sexual desires in men and women.
Spirulina Benefits for High Blood Pressure Levels
Spirulina is a fantastic supplement to take for those with high blood pressure. Here’s how this superfood can help.
Is Spirulina Good for Hypertension?
Does spirulina affect blood pressure? Yes, spirulina can be good for people with hypertension since it can help maintain healthy blood pressure. When a person is hypertensive or has high blood pressure, it opens up that person to many risk factors that can result in several health issues. In particular, if your blood pressure levels are too high and uncontrolled, you risk suffering from heart and kidney disease.
Fortunately, spirulina supplements have the potential to help support your cardiovascular health. In fact, a spirulina blood pressure study review summarizes a group of five different clinical trials involving this superfood and hypertension. According to the review, most studies found that spirulina taken in daily doses ranging from 1 to 8 grams helps lower both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
How Does Spirulina Decrease Blood Pressure?
You may be wondering how spirulina can reduce blood pressure. The answer lies in how much our body releases nitric oxide. Through spirulina supplementation, this superfood helps our body produce nitric oxide. With more nitric oxide in our system, the less our arteries become stiff.
When our arteries become less pliant, it causes a host of issues. For one, the travel time of our blood circulation becomes faster. Also, since the blood vessels have less give, the more blood pumped from the heart, the more blood pushes against them, increasing our overall blood pressure.
When spirulina helps relax arteries, the walls of our blood vessels become more elastic and flexible. This helps reduce blood pressure and keeps it at a healthy level.
Other Cardiovascular and General Health Benefits of Spirulina
Here are the other ways spirulina can help improve your overall health.
1. Spirulina May Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels
The spirulina effect on blood pressure is one of its many cardiovascular health benefits. Another significant issue spirulina may help tackle is high cholesterol levels.
Studies have found that this superfood managed to help reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body. A 2014 clinical trial observed 52 middle-aged participants. The trial involved getting their full lipid profiles both before and after taking spirulina supplements. They were asked to take 1 gram of this superfood for 12 weeks.
The trial has found favorable results as spirulina reduced a person’s triglyceride levels by around 16.3% and their LDL cholesterol levels by 10.1%.
2. Spirulina May Minimize Lipid Peroxidation
The cells in our body are prone to getting damaged by oxidative stress. One prominent way that we may experience oxidative damage is through lipid peroxidation.
Cholesterol is a fatty structure, and it’s easily prone to oxidative damage. If that happens, a person develops more risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Luckily, spirulina is one supplement that helps neutralize free radicals and oxidative damage, thanks to its powerful antioxidant content.
3. Other Health Benefits of Spirulina
Your cardiovascular system isn’t the only part of your body that spirulina can help. Apart from helping manage hypertension, it supports your overall health and helps address numerous issues.
Here are some of spirulina’s other health benefits:
- Spirulina has anti-inflammatory properties. According to studies, taking this as a supplement helps minimize your body’s inflammatory response. This makes spirulina an incredible nutritional supplement for those with allergic rhinitis.
- Spirulina may help reinforce the immune system by boosting the production of white blood cells and antibodies.
- Spirulina may help lower your blood sugar levels. It can also help improve the symptoms of those with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Spirulina may help with weight loss and your overall fitness.
- Spirulina contains a lot of iron, which can help people with iron deficiency anemia.
Spirulina Dosage for High Blood Pressure
Looking to help your cardiovascular health by taking spirulina? You can usually find this supplement manufactured in two ways: as tablets or in powder form.
If you want to take tablets, they’re easy to use. You just need to drink the recommended daily dose of water.
On the other hand, you can take the powder in different ways. Apart from mixing it with water and drinking it, you can add it to snacks, dishes, baked goods, and drinks.
No specific spirulina dosage is set to be taken for lowering blood pressure. However, the recommended daily dose is around 3 to 3.5 grams. Although, you can take up to 19 grams of it without worry since this superfood is safe.
But is it better to take spirulina in the morning or night? You can take your spirulina at any time of the day. You can take it in the morning, noon, or night before or after meals. The only guideline you should remember is to take the recommended daily dosage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Take Spirulina and High Blood Pressure Medication Together?
Yes, spirulina is generally safe to take. It doesn’t have any contraindications when taken with blood pressure medicine.
Can I Take Spirulina for Hypotension?
One of the causes of hypotension or low blood pressure is anemia. The lack of iron in your blood may contribute to this condition. Taking spirulina for low blood pressure may be beneficial if the cause of your hypotension is iron deficiency anemia. It’s rich in iron and can supplement your diet with desired levels. However, if other issues cause low blood pressure, more research is needed to determine if spirulina can help significantly.
How Long Does It Take for Spirulina to Lower Blood Pressure?
If taken daily, a study suggests that supplementing with spirulina for at least three months will lower your blood pressure.
Spirulina and Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure
Spirulina blood pressure benefits are just a small part of a long list that this superfood can provide us healthwise. It helps enhance nutrition to help us avoid many long-term health issues. With its science-backed positive effects, it’s no wonder this superfood supplement is well-loved worldwide.
Do you also want to experience how spirulina can help improve your health? Incorporate this incredible superfood into your diet today!
- Is Spirulina Good For Arteries? How Can This Help Improve Overall Heart Health - September 10, 2023
- Spirulina Blood Pressure Benefits To Take Advantage Of - September 10, 2023
- Spirulina For Cancer: How Can This Blue-Green Algae Help? - September 10, 2023
