Add Folate to Your Diet and Lower Blood Pressure

A new study published in a recent Journal of the American Medical Associationreported that women getting large amounts of folate from food and supplements have a sharply lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

Folate is one of the B vitamins and is found in oranges, dark green leafy vegetables and beans and legumes.

The study tracked the diets and health of a large group of women over an eight-year period. At the start of the study, the participants did not have a history of high blood pressure.

Younger women who consumed 1000 micrograms daily (2 1/2times the recommended daily allowance) were 46% less likely to develop hypertension. Older women who consumed a high level of folate saw an 18% drop in their risk.

The study’s lead author stated that “if these findings are confirmed by a large, randomized, controlled trial, it would suggest that folic acid...could be used as a preventative measure against high blood pressure.”

This new study adds to existing studies that showed that folate could help prevent devastating birth defects of the brain or spinal cord.

SOURCE:  http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050119/D87MRI7O0.html