high blood pressure

[soul shaker]

went to the doctor today and he said i have high blood pressure. i have to go back in a month and get rechecked. first reading was 130/90, 10 minutes later it was 150/100. i was very nervous before i went because i am a hypochondriac. my question is, if they put me on medication, i can't cycle anymore can i? he is a new doctor for me and i did not tell him i do steroids , it has been 5 months since my last cycle and i planned on starting again in april.
ss

[xusmc67]

Relax bro. Im on a cycle of sus750 and deka600 for 10 weeks. AND I have high blood pressure. Or I would if I didn't take Acuretic 20/12.5mg. My bp now is 130-140/70-82. In the middle of my cycle. No problems. But I hate to think what my bp would be if I didn't have good drugs.

AND if you tell your doc he will tell you he can't help you as long as your going to use AS. I SAY BULL SHIT.

Check your bp while resting at home look for # like not more then 140 over not more then 84.

Last but not least whats your cholesterol and is there any heart related problems in your family, also important things.

[kizer_soce]

Patient confidentiality bro, he can't refuse to help you b/c you are cycling gear, in fact it will help him make a more educated decision on what to prescribe. If you don't want to tell him ask him what he can do for it in terms of prescriptions, research the drugs available to you especially their side effects.

Also there are MANY natural remedies that help lower BP, I know garlic extract is one of them, there is a post on BSS that I will copy and paste for you.

Originally posted by soul shaker
went to the doctor today and he said i have high blood pressure. i have to go back in a month and get rechecked. first reading was 130/90, 10 minutes later it was 150/100. i was very nervous before i went because i am a hypochondriac. my question is, if they put me on medication, i can't cycle anymore can i? he is a new doctor for me and i did not tell him i do steroids , it has been 5 months since my last cycle and i planned on starting again in april.
ss

[bex]

I have high bp so iwent to the docs and told him i was on AS.And he said it is not a problem he gave me medication which got it down.He said to me i can carrie on with AS but i will have to have a check up every month.{ALLWAYS TELL THE DOC HE IS THERE TO HELP NOT CONDEM}

[kizer_soce]

from bodybybob, sorry for the spelling, lol

your BP Will fluctuate thats normal,two other things i take is crushed garlig powder in caps and the all time favorite hawthorn berries liquid extract by NATURES ANSWER,I HAVE BEEN TAKING HAWTHORN FOR YEARS and my BP stays around 120/80 -130 /80 and i am 67 yrs old so i know it works ,it is aherb that protects your heart from free radical damage and lowers BP over a period of time ,can be used for long term use (i use it for life)no neg. side effects ,and anyone using juice should take it it also is a vasodialater which helps lower BP and streanthens the heart muscles,it also will lower your heart palpitations due to juice it is also a mild seditive ,it helps me to stay calm from the effects of juice ,you must experiment with the dosage to see which is best for you ,you can take it with kava kava although if you take both you CAN GET DROWSEEand want to lay down,the only thing i have seen in the lititure and i have only seen that in one of the researches is that you should not come off of hawthorn abruptly,you shpuld taper off of it over a few weeks ,and if you can afford the money ther are other natural supps you can take ,like L-carnitine which isw also a vasodilater and a few others

[kizer_soce]

more from BBB

Hypertension

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, a condition with many causes. Approximately 90% of people with high blood pressure have ?essential? or ?idiopathic? hypertension, for which the cause is poorly understood. The terms ?hypertension? and ?high blood pressure? as used here refer only to this most common form and not to high blood pressure either associated with pregnancy or clearly linked to a known cause, such as Cushing?s syndrome, pheochromocytoma, or kidney disease. Hypertension must always be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Extremely high blood pressure (malignant hypertension) or rapidly worsening blood pressure (accelerated hypertension) almost always require treatment with conventional medicine. People with mild to moderate high blood pressure should work with a nutritionally oriented doctor before attempting to use the information contained here, as blood pressure requires monitoring and in some cases the use of blood pressure-lowering drugs.

As with conventional drugs, the use of natural substances sometimes controls blood pressure if taken consistently but does not lead to a cure for high blood pressure. Thus, someone whose blood pressure is successfully reduced by weight loss, avoidance of salt, and increased intake of fruit and vegetables would need to maintain these changes permanently in order to maintain control of blood pressure.

Dietary changes that may be helpful: Primitive societies exposed to very little salt suffer from little or no hypertension.1 Salt intake has also been definitively linked to hypertension in western societies.2 Eliminating salt from the diet lowers blood pressure in most people.3 An overview of the best studies found that the more salt is restricted, the greater the blood pressure-lowering effect.4 Individual studies sometimes come to differing conclusions about the relationship between salt intake and blood pressure, in part because blood pressure-lowering effects of salt restriction vary from person to person, and small to moderate reductions in salt intake often have minimal effects on blood pressure. Nonetheless, dramatic reductions in salt intake are generally effective for many people with hypertension.

With the prevalence of salted processed and restaurant food, simply avoiding the salt shaker no longer leads to large decreases in salt intake for most people. Totally eliminating salt is more effective, but is also quite difficult to achieve. Moreover, whereas an overview of the research has reported ?There is no evidence that sodium reduction as achieved in these trials presents any safety hazards,?5 reports of short-term paradoxical increases in blood pressure in response to salt restriction have occasionally appeared.6 Therefore, people wishing to use salt restriction to lower their blood pressure should consult with a nutritionally oriented doctor.

Vegetarian diets have been reported to significantly lower blood pressure.7 This occurs partly because fruits and vegetables contain potassium?a known blood pressure-lowering mineral.8 The best way to supplement potassium is with fruit, which contains more of the mineral than amounts found in potassium supplements. However, fruit contains so much potassium that people taking ?potassium sparing? drugs (as some hypertensives do) can end up with too much potassium by eating several pieces of fruit per day. Therefore, people taking potassium sparing diuretics should consult the prescribing doctor before increasing fruit intake. The fiber provided by vegetarian diets may also help reduce high blood pressure.9 In the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables (and therefore fiber) and reducing cholesterol and dairy fat led to large reductions in blood pressure (in medical terms, 11.4 systolic and 5.5 diastolic) in just eight weeks.10 Even though it did not employ a vegetarian diet itself, the outcome of the DASH trial supports the usefulness of vegetarian diets because diets employed by DASH researchers were related to what many vegetarians eat. The DASH trial also showed that blood pressure can be significantly reduced in hypertensive people (most dramatically in African Americans) with diet alone without weight loss or even restriction of salt.11

Sugar has been reported to increase blood pressure in both animals12 and humans.13 Though the real importance of this experimental effect remains somewhat unclear,14 some nutritionally oriented doctors recommend that people with high blood pressure cut back on their intake of sugar.

Shortly after consuming caffeine, blood pressure increases.15 In a review of eleven trials lasting almost two months on average, coffee drinking led to increased blood pressure, though these increases were typically small to moderate.16 Nonetheless, the effects of long-term avoidance of caffeine (from coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks, and some medications) on blood pressure remain unclear. In fact, a few reports claim that long-term coffee drinkers have lower blood pressure than those who avoid coffee.17 On the basis of the two-month intervention trials, many nutritionally oriented doctors tell people with high blood pressure to avoid caffeine-containing food and drink despite the lack of clarity in published research.

Food allergy was reported to contribute to high blood pressure in a study of people who had migraine headaches.18 In that report, all fifteen people who also had high blood pressure experienced a significant drop in blood pressure when put on a hypoallergenic diet. People suspecting food allergies should check with a nutritionally oriented doctor.

Exposure to lead and other heavy metals has also been linked to high blood pressure in some,19 but not all, research.20 If other approaches to high blood pressure prove unsuccessful, it makes sense for people with hypertension to have their body?s burden of lead evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Lifestyle changes that may be helpful: Smoking is particularly injurious for people with hypertension.21 The combination of hypertension and smoking greatly increases the risk of heart disease-related sickness and death. All people with high blood pressure need to quit smoking.

Many studies have found a relationship between alcohol consumption and blood pressure. A recent review of the research reported that above the equivalent of approximately three drinks per day, blood pressure increases in proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed.22 Whether one or two drinks per day meaningfully increases blood pressure remains unclear.

Daily exercise can lower blood pressure significantly.23 People over forty years of age should consult with their doctor before starting an exercise regime. A twelve-week program of Chinese T?ai Chi was reported to be almost as effective as aerobic exercise in lowering blood pressure in sedentary elderly people with high blood pressure.24

Many people with high blood pressure are overweight. Weight loss can lower blood pressure significantly in those who are both overweight and hypertensive.25 People with hypertension who are overweight should talk with a nutritionally oriented doctor about a weight loss program.

Anxiety in men (but not women) has been linked to eventual hypertension in a respected long-term study.26 Several research groups have shown a relationship between job strain and high blood pressure in men.27 28 29 Some researchers have tied blood pressure specifically to suppressed aggression.30

Although some kind of relationship between stress and high blood pressure appears to exist, the effects of treatment for stress remains controversial. A meta-analysis of twenty-six trials reported that reductions in blood pressure caused by biofeedback or meditation were no greater than those seen with placebo.31 Though some stress management interventions have not been at all helpful in reducing blood pressure,32 33 the more promising trials have used combinations of yoga, biofeedback, and/or meditation.34 35 36 Despite the lack of consensus in published research, most doctors who utilize natural medicine continue to recommend a variety of stress-reducing measures, sometimes custom tailoring them to the person seeking help.

Nutritional supplements that may be helpful: Calcium supplementation?typically 800?1,500 mg per day?lowers blood pressure. However, while an analysis of forty-two trials reported that calcium supplementation led to an average drop in blood pressure that was highly statistically significant, the decrease was not large enough to meaningfully improve health (in medical terms, a drop of 1.4 systolic over 0.8 diastolic pressure).37 Results would likely be better were analysis limited only to studies of hypertensive people, because calcium has little if any effect on those with normal blood pressure. In the analysis of forty-two trials, effects were seen both with dietary calcium and with use of calcium supplements. Although average decreases in blood pressure from calcium are clearly small, each person responds differently. Some evidence suggests that people with hypertension whose blood pressure is affected most by changes in salt intake respond best to calcium supplementation.38 A twelve-week trial of 1,000 mg per day of calcium accompanied by blood pressure monitoring is a reasonable way to assess efficacy in a given individual.

Some,39 but not all,40 studies show that magnesium supplements?typically 350?500 mg per day?lower blood pressure. Magnesium appears to be particularly effective in people who are taking potassium depleting diuretics.41 As so-called ?potassium depleting? diuretics also deplete magnesium, the drop in blood pressure resulting from magnesium supplementation in people taking these drugs may result from overcoming a mild magnesium deficiency.

Vitamin C plays an important role in maintaining the health of arteries.42 A review of vitamin C research reported that most studies linked increased blood and dietary levels of the vitamin to reduced blood pressure.43 However, these links might result from diets high in fruit and vegetables rather than from vitamin C itself. The same review reported that blood pressure was reduced in all four double blind trials examining the effects of vitamin C, but the reduction was statistically significant in only two of the four, and in some cases reductions were quite modest. Nonetheless, some nutritionally oriented doctors recommend that people with elevated blood pressure supplement with 1,000 mg vitamin C per day.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been reported to affect blood vessels in a way that should cause a decrease in blood pressure.44 Both uncontrolled45 46 47 and controlled trials have reported that CoQ10 significantly lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension.48 All trials used at least 50 mg of CoQ10 taken twice per day, and most trials lasted for at least ten weeks.

EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, lower blood pressure, according to a meta-analysis of thirty-one trials.49 That analysis found the effect was dependent on the amount of omega-3 oil used, with the best results occurring in studies using extremely high intakes (15 grams per day). To obtain 15 grams of omega-3 typically requires consumption of 50 grams of fish oil?an unsustainably high amount. Although results with lower intakes were not as impressive, studies using over 3 grams of omega-3 (generally requiring at least 10 grams of fish oil, or ten 1,000 mg pills per day) also reported significant reduction in blood pressure.

A deficiency of the amino acid taurine is thought by some researchers to play an important role in elevating blood pressure in people with hypertension.50 Limited taurine research has found that supplementation lowers blood pressure in animals51 and people (at 6 grams per day),52 possibly by reducing levels of the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline).

Animal and preliminary human research has suggested that the fiber-like supplement chitosan may prevent blood pressure-elevating effects of salt, possibly by reducing absorption of chloride. A small study showed that 5 grams of chitosan taken by men with a highly salted meal resulted in no elevation in blood pressure, while the same meal without chitosan significantly elevated systolic blood pressure.53

The amino acid arginine is needed by the body to make nitric oxide, a substance that allows blood vessels to dilate, thus leading to reduced blood pressure. As a result, intravenous administration of arginine has reduced blood pressure in humans in some reports.54 Most research has not used oral arginine, but in one such trial, the combination of arginine (2 grams taken three times per day) plus conventional drugs used to treat hypertension was significantly more effective than placebo alone in patients who previously did not respond to the same drugs taken without arginine.55

Are there any side effects or interactions? Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions.

Herbs that may be helpful: Garlic lowers blood pressure, according to a meta-analysis that included ten double blind studies.56 All of these trials administered garlic for at least four weeks, typically using 600?900 mg of garlic extract per day. In those trials limited to people with hypertension, the average blood pressure-lowering effect was highly clinically significant.

Rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina) and European mistletoe (Viscum album) have potent blood pressure-lowering effects. However, neither herb should be used except under the careful supervision of a physician highly trained in their use, because each can cause serious side effects.

Are there any side effects or interactions? Refer to the individual herb for information about any side effects or interactions.

Checklist for High Blood Pressure

Ranking

Nutritional Supplements

Herbs
Primary Fish oil (EPA/DHA)

Potassium (for people not taking potassium sparing diuretics)
Garlic
Secondary Coenzyme Q10

Calcium

Fiber

Magnesium (for people taking depleting diuretics)

Other Arginine

Chitosan

Taurine

Vitamin C
European mistletoe

Rauwolfia



See also: Homeopathic Remedies for High Blood Pressure

Within Healthnotes Online, information about the effects of a particular supplement or herb on a particular condition has been qualified in terms of the methodology or source of supporting data (for example: clinical, double blind, meta-analysis, or traditional use). For the convenience of the reader, the information in the table listing the supplements for particular conditions is also categorized. The criteria for the categorizations are: ?Primary? indicates there are reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a health benefit. ?Secondary? indicates there are conflicting, insufficient, or only preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or that the health benefit is minimal. ?Other? indicates that an herb is primarily supported by traditional use or that the herb or supplement has little scientific support and/or minimal proven health benefit.

References:

1. Page LB, Damon A, Moellering RC Jr. Antecedents of cardiovascular disease in six Solomon Islands Societies. Circulation 1974;44:1132?46.
2. Stamler J, et al. Findings of the international cooperative INTERSALT study. Hypertension 1991;17(Suppl I):I-9?15.
3. MacGregor GA, et al. Double-blind study of three sodium intakes and long-term effects of sodium restriction in essential hypertension. Lancet 1989;ii:1244?47.
4. Cutler JA, Follmann D, Allender PS. Randomized trials of sodium reduction: an overview. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65(Suppl):643S?51S.
5. Cutler JA, Follmann D, Allender PS. Randomized trials of sodium reduction: an overview. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65(Suppl):643S?51S.
6. Egan BM, Stepniakowski KT. Adverse effects of short-term, very-low-salt diets in subjects with risk-factor clustering. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65(Suppl):671S?77S.
7. Margetts BM, et al. Vegetarian diet in mild hypertension: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 1986;293:1468?71.
8. Cappuccio FP, MacGregor GA. Does potassium supplementation lower blood pressure? a meta-analysis of published trials. J Hypertens 1991;9:465?73.
9. Rossner S, Andersson I-L, Ryttig K. Effects of a dietary fibre-supplement to a weight reduction programme on blood pressure. Acta Med Scand 1988;223:353?57.
10. Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Boarzanek E, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. N Engl J Med 1997;336:1117?24.
11. Svetkey LP, Simons-Morton D, Vollmer WM, et al. Effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure: a subgroup analysis of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) randomized clinical trial. Arch Intern Med 1999;159:285?93.
12. Zein M, Areas JL, Breuss GH. Effects of excess sucrose ingestion on the lifespan of SHR. J Am Coll Nutr 1989;8:435 [abstr #42].
13. Rebello T, Hodges RE, Smith JL. Short-term effects of various sugars on antinatriuresis and blood pressure changes in normotensive young men. Am J Clin Nutr 1983;38(1):84?94.
14. Preuss HG, Fournier RD. Effects of sucrose ingestion on blood pressure. Life Sci 1982;30:879?86.
15. Rachima-Maoz C, Peleg E, Rosenthal T. The effect of caffeine on ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Am J Hypertens 1998;11:1426?32.
16. Jee SH, He J, Whelton PK, et al. The effect of chronic coffee drinking on blood pressure. A meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Hypertension 1999;33:647?52.
17. Wakabayashi K, Kono S, Shinchi K, et al. Habitual coffee consumption and blood pressure: a study of self-defense officials in Japan. Eur J Epidemiol 1998;14:669?73.
18. Grant ECG. Food Allergies and migraine. Lancet 1979;i:966?69.
19. Pirkle JL, Schwartz H, Landis JR, et al. The relationship between blood lead levels and blood pressure and its cardiovascular risk implications. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121(2):246?58.
20. Wu TN, Shen CY, Ko KN, et al. Occupational lead exposure and blood pressure. Int J Epidemiol 1996;25:791?96.
21. Narkiewicz K, Maraglino G, Biasion T, et al. Interactive effect of cigarettes and coffee on daytime systolic blood pressure in patients with mild essential hypertension. J Hypertens 1995;13:965?70.
22. Keil U, Liese A, Filipiak B, et al. Alcohol, blood pressure and hypertension. Novartis Round Symp 1998;216:125?44 [review].
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24. Young DR, Appel LG, Jee SH, Miller ER III. The effect of aerobic exercise and T?ai Chi on Blood pressure in older people: results of a randomized trial. J Am Geriatr Soc 1999;47:277?84.
25. Alderman MH. Nonpharmacologic approaches to the treatment of hypertension. Lancet 1994;334:307?11 [review].
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27. Schnall PL, Schwartz Landesbergis PA, et al. Relation between job strain, alcohol, and ambulatory blood pressure. Hypertension 1992;19:488?94.
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38. Resnick LM. The role of dietary calcium in hypertension: a hierarchical review. Am J Hypertens 1999;12:99?112.
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41. Dyckner T, Wester PO. Effect of magnesium on blood pressure. BMJ 1983;286:1847?49.
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43. Ness AR, Chee D, Elliott P. Vitamin C and blood pressure?an overview. J Human Hypertens 1997;11:343?50.
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55. Pezza V, Bernardini F, Pezza E, et al. Study of supplemental oral l-arginine in hypertensives treated with enalapril + hydrochlorothiazinde. Am J Hypertens 1998;11:1267?70 [letter].
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[soul shaker]

thanks for the information, very helpful. so if i do get medication, i can still cycle while on, i should just talk to my doctor about it?
ss

[bex]

Yes talk to doctor because none of us are qualified .
BEST TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY

[Mike]

Thanks KS - I was going to get the same post for him.

Bro - get bp meds if you need them - that is first priority - and if you dont want to ask your doc about the juice with them then come to me once your have your meds and let me know what you're on and I will tell you what is safe to still use.

I answered your PM about all of this as well so read that too.

[Mr. Nobody]

Make sure you really have high BP, by monitoring it yourself at home multiple times a day with proper equipment (a cuff can be purchased at any drug store). Use correct cuff size (for me the doctor used one that was too small giving artificially elevated readings).
Important for you to check it in lieu of your doctor before going on treatment, cause "white coat" hypertension is real (fear of doctors)

[soul shaker]

i am picking up the home monitoring system, recording readings everyday, and i'll bring that with me. also, i did notice the cuff they used was very tight, about 2 inches from not being able to fit. my blood wrok was clear also, cholestrol was 206, hdl 67. they said it was very good. i am sure the anxiety was what did it, i also went in thinking i might have something else so i was nervous about the blood work. i am going to make this my goal, i've already cut my sodium down over 60% and still going. thanks for the help.
ss

[Mr. Nobody]

If you cut out sodium already than continue with restricting caffeine & ephedrine, upping potassium and add magnesium, 800mg at nite. Also some otc diuretics like dandilion might help

[balltillyafall]

first of all (kizer soce) great post! very informative. I just had one question about doctor/patient relationship tho. if you tell him your on gear they cant do anything right? they cant call the cops or anythign right? i kno that is a silly question cuz im pretty sure they cant do anything i just wanted to see if anyone had a sure answer

[Aboot]

Ummm, this thread was from 2001.

[CrispyHaole]