Heed The Warnings On The Label . . .

I’ve seen it time and again in my medical practice: people who suffer from high blood pressure determined to beat it, because they know it can lead to kidney damage, stroke, and heart attack. But by taking serious drugs, they’ve been steered in the wrong direction . . . nnWhat they don’t know, either because their doctors don’t know or don’t say, is that the prescription drugs they’re taking for it can actually do more harm than good.nnYet the warnings on the label of these drugs are there for anyone to see, doctors especially. And there’s plenty of research showing you can effectively treat high blood pressure and other serious heart health problems safely and naturally, without dangerous and expensive drugs. These are things your doctor ought to know.nnJust recently I came across another study showing that a natural substance called quercetin lowers blood pressure. Quercetin belongs to a class of potent antioxidants called “bioflavonoids.” Apples, onions, garlic, tea, red grapes, berries, broccoli, and leafy greens are also rich sources of quercetin. It’s off most doctors’ radar screens. But there’s plenty of evidence to suggest it’s a great treatment option for hypertension.nnIn a recent study researchers took 19 people with “pre-hypertension” – meaning their blood pressure was close to the line, but not over it – and 22 people with full-blown high blood pressure, and gave them 730 mgs of quercetin for four weeks. nnInterestingly, those with pre-hypertension didn’t see any effect, but those with high blood pressure showed significant improvement. The researchers weren’t sure why, but quercetin seems to “know” if you’ve got high blood pressure and launches into action.nnThis was not the first time quercetin’s been linked to high blood pressure treatment. British researchers found it to be highly effective in animal studies. Compare that to the standard treatments for high blood pressure . . .nnBeta blockers, the most common treatment for hypertension and chest pain, come with a host of serious side effects, including:nn• Fatiguen• Lowered Sex Driven• Dizzinessn• Depressionn• Nausean• ImpotencennBut what’s really worrisome are the long-term effects they have on overall cardiovascular health.nnThey raise your triglyceride levels – the “bad fats” that clog your arteries – and lower your HDL levels – the “good” cholesterol your body needs for optimal health. Not exactly the ideal cure for heart disease.nnCalcium channel blockers, including Procardia XL, Dilacor, and Tiazac, have similar side effects. And, like beta blockers, a number of studies have found that people on them ran a much higher risk of heart attack than those on other medications – as much as 60 percent. nnAnd nitrate drugs, including Nitroglycerin, Isoptin, and Dilatrate, cause damage to your cardiovascular system, when they’re supposed to be healing it. In the short-term, they’re good at opening up your blood vessels, allowing for better flow. But over time, they destroy the sensitive lining of your blood vessels, called the endothelium.nnA recent Japanese study found that people taking nitrate drugs were 2.4 times more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who didn’t. And the damage caused to the endothelium made those heart attacks more severe.nnSo you can see why, in my own practice, I prefer to stick with natural agents in treating high blood pressure. As far as quercetin goes, I recommend anywhere from 300 to 750 mgs per day. nnOne thing to keep in mind: it can block the effect of a class of antibiotics called “fluoroquinolones.” If you’re on an antibiotic, check with your doctor before you start taking quercetin.nnCoQ10 is another excellent option. I’ve found that most people with high blood pressure have low levels of CoQ10. And most can bring their blood pressure in line with about 100 mgs per day.nnI’ve also seen dramatic results with an amino acid called l-arginine. It works the same way as nitrate drugs, without any of the damage. Nitrate drugs deliver nitric oxide (NO) to the endothelium.nnNO makes endothelium to relax. L-arginine does the same thing, but unlike nitrate drugs, its action is completely harmless, because l-arginine occurs naturally in the body. So the lining of your blood vessels remain healthy. I recommend 500 mgs of l-arginine per day.nn1 Edwards et al. “Quercetin reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects,” Journal of Nutrition, 2007, 137(11):2405-11.n2 Duarte et al, “Antihypertensive effects of the flavonoid quercetin in spontaneously hypertensive rats.” British Journal of Pharmacology. 2001. 133:117–124n3 Psaty et al, “The risk of myocardial infarction associated with anti-hypertensive drug therapies.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 1995, 274(8):620-625.n4 Circulation Supplement II. Circulation. 2002. 106(19): Preliminary Abstract 1494.n