Soy and milk proteins could be more effective than carbohydrates for controlling high blood pressure in those at risk of hypertension, according to a new study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers at Tulane Unversity in New Orleans worked with 352 adults who were at increased risk of elevated blood pressure. The participants were randomly assigned to take 40 gram supplements of soy protein, milk protein or refined carbohydrates each day for a period of eight weeks.
The researchers found that the milk and soy protein had a small but significant effect on systolic blood pressure – the top measurement in a blood pressure reading. Carbohydrates, despite previous studies suggesting they might help control blood pressure, had no effect on the systolic reading.
"The systolic blood pressure differences we found are small for the individual, but they are important at the population level," explained lead researcher Dr. Jiang He.
According to previous studies, even the small change in systolic blood pressure could reduce the risk of stroke-related death by up to six percent and cut the risk of heart disease death by four percent.