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A new study has found that lower-than-normal zinc levels may contribute to high blood pressure, or hypertension, by altering the way the kidneys handle sodium. The study has been published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology.
The study reports; Zinc deficiency is common in people with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. People with low zinc levels are also at a higher risk for hypertension. The way in which the kidneys either excrete sodium into the urine or reabsorb it into the body — specifically through a pathway called the sodium chloride cotransporter (NCC) — also plays a role in blood pressure control. Less sodium in the urine typically corresponds with higher blood pressure. Recent research has suggested that zinc may help regulate proteins that in turn regulate the NCC, but a direct link between zinc-deficiency-induced hypertension has not been examined.
Researchers compared male mice with zinc deficiency to healthy controls with normal zinc levels. The zinc-deficient mice developed high blood pressure and a corresponding decrease in urinary sodium excretion. The control group did not experience the same changes.
A small group of the zinc-deficient mice were fed a zinc-rich diet partway through the study. Once the animals’ zinc reached adequate levels, blood pressure began to drop and urinary sodium levels increased. “These significant findings demonstrate that enhanced renal [sodium] reabsorption plays a critical role in [zinc-deficiency]-induced hypertension,” the research team wrote.
“Understanding the specific mechanisms by which [zinc deficiency] contributes to [blood pressure] dysregulation may have an important effect on the treatment of hypertension in chronic disease settings,” the researchers added.
Source:
Clintoria R. Williams, Monisha Mistry, Aswathy Miriam Cheriyan, Jasmine M Williams, Meagan K Naraine, Carla L. Ellis, Rickta Mallick, Abinash C. Mistry, Jennifer L. Gooch, Benjamin Ko, Hui Cai, Robert S Hoover. Zinc Deficiency Induces Hypertension by Promoting Renal Sodium Reabsorption. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, 2019; DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00487.2018
Photo by FOODISM360 on Unsplash Written By Kayanne McDermott, B.A., ND. Kayanne holds a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Bridgeport, College of Naturopathic Medicine and C.W. Post of Long Island University, respectively. Meet Kayanne …
? by rawpixel on Unsplash Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries that carry the blood from your heart to other parts of your body. While your blood pressure levels normally rise and fall throughout the day, constant …
A new study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, adds to what is known as the growing body of evidence that suggests pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements could play an important role in cardiovascular health, specifically heart disease.
Lead author, Matthew Rossman, explains, “This is the first clinical trial to assess the impact of mitochondrial-specific antioxidant on vascular function in humans. It suggests that therapies like this may hold real promise for reducing the risk of age-related cardiovascular disease.”
The study reports that older adults who take an antioxidant that specifically targets mitochondria – in this case Coenzyme Q10 – see age-related changes in blood vessels reverse by the equivalent of 15 to 20 years within six weeks.
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 for short, is an importantenergy-releasing nutrient that is produced naturally in the body. Cells use CoQ10 in order to make energy and function properly. It serves as a antioxidant cell protector, protecting from oxidative damage. CoQ10, though present in every cell in the body, can be found in high concentrations in the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver. Your body produces this nutrient naturally, however, its production tends to decrease with age.
For this study, Rossman and researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder recruited 20 healthy men and women ages 60 to 79 from the Boulder area. Half of the participants took 20mg of CoQ10 per day in order to make it “cling to mitochondria inside cells.” The other half took a placebo.
After six weeks, researchers assessed how well the lining of blood vessels functioned by measuring how much the subjects arteries dilated with increased blood flow. Then, after a two week “wash out” of no supplementation or placebo-taking, the tests were repeated.
The researchers found that when taking the supplement, dilation of the arteries improved by 42%, making their blood vessels “look like those of someone 15 to 20 years younger”, according to the study.
Rossman reports, “An improvement of that magnitude, if sustained, is associated with about a 13% reduction in heart disease.” The study also showed that improvement in dilation was due to a reduction in oxidative stress, as blood vessels tend to grow stiff with age largely due to a result of oxidative stress.
“This study suggests that targeting a specific source-mitochondria- may be a better way to reduce oxidative stress andimprove cardiovascular health with aging.”
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