Surprising Discovery Could Regulate Blood Pressure

A collective of scientists acknowledged that while researching the brain trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease they found something that changes many of our ideas about high blood pressure.

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High blood pressure is the world’s leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths. The key to treat those who are at risk of suffering from a heart attack or a stroke is a better understanding of the processes that our body uses to regulate blood pressure. Or to be more precise – everything that affects how blood flows through blood vessels.

From expert journals to handouts you can find in the doctors' office you can learn that the cells in blood vessels regulate blood pressure by contracting and expanding. An important role in the process is played by calcium and potassium. And for about half a century, you’ve heard the same thing. But now, it seems there’s more to the story. Such as zinc!

How does zinc affect blood pressure.

So, if I would generalize I could say that zinc plays a positive role. An increase in cytoplasmic zinc actually affects several different fronts. The first is that by acting on receptors it affects the function of sensory nerves surrounding blood vessels. This then leads to the expansion of the blood vessels. The second way it works by affecting the physiology of cells that line blood vessels. And finally, the most visible effect of zinc ions is the reaction of cells localized in the blood vessel walls. By modulating the permeability of potassium ions the zinc regulates the membrane potential. In practice, this leads to regulation of how much the blood vessels contract.

So, in human terms. As the zinc tells the muscles in the blood vessels they need less calcium it allows them to not get as tight. Not only does that lead to lower blood pressure but also it makes tissues better oxygenated and better taken care of in terms of nutrients without the need to put more of a load on the heart. Another big thing is that zinc seems to play an especially high role in reducing blood pressure for the most sensitive areas – the brain and the heart.

So… what does this mean? We all know you shouldn’t ingest too much salt if you have high blood pressure. Scientists and doctors have also known that potassium reduces blood pressure and that sodium, potassium are metals. And calcium is alkaline and thus kind of a metal and a highly reactive metal at that is something known for a long time as well. But that another metal plays a major role in reducing blood pressure is something nobody knew. But I should say this: Don’t just start eating tons of zinc because it is not that easy and you’ll only end up building a battery in your stomach.

Of course, those who do not get enough zinc through food could start eating some nutritional supplements but it will not work to reduce blood pressure as a home remedy. Luckily, scientists already know of compounds that will get cells to reduce (or increase) levels of cytoplasmic zinc.

This discovery will lead to a completely new way of treating high blood pressure and this is especially good news for those unlucky ones that either don’t react to current medicine or have an allergy to it.

Sources:

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23198-6

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