Research from Osaka School of Medicine in Japan reveals that losing weight changes body chemistry which helps control blood pressure.
It has long been known that for people with high blood pressure, losing weight can significantly help to reduce their blood pressure, it is effective over and above any medication they may be taking to control it.
The study was split into five groups of obese people with high blood pressure. Two group were placed on one of two blood pressure-lowering drugs, amlodipine or enalapril. The next two took one of the drugs and also lost weight. The final group relied on weight reduction alone.
While the medication was effective in reducing blood pressure in all the groups taking it, what was surprising was the chemical changes produced by the weight loss – irrespective of whether or not drugs were taken.
By losing weight, levels of the hormones insulin, leptin and noradrenaline in the blood reduced, all of which are believes to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure.
The researchers concluded that weight loss should be the key to helping obese people control their blood pressure, in the interests of their long-term health.
Weight loss is one of the cornerstone lifestyle factors that the Hypnotension programme tackles. It is by no means the whole story but none the less it is an important part of the whole.
Research has shown that every kilo (2.2 lbs) lost equates to a 1 point drop in the diastolic and the systolic pressure. So if you lose 22 lbs you would drop your BP by 10 points on both numbers. This can make the difference between needing to take medication for the rest of your life (with all the side effects associated with it) or living your life free of medication.
