Mayo Clinic News Network. DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I typically drink three or four cans of diet soda each day, and my doctor told me it may be the cause of my high blood pressure. Why would it suddenly affect my blood pressure? ANSWER: It. A number of studies have examined this topic, and there is no evidence to suggest a link between regularly drinking diet soda and an increase in blood pressure. In fact, some research findings seem to suggest the opposite. Diet soda actually may contribute to lowering blood pressure. A variety of artificial sweeteners are available on the market.
What exactly is hypertension? Hypertension is also called high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the pressure inside your arteries that harmlessly pushes the. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Diet Soda and High Blood Pressure.
Your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with age, but getting some exercise can make a big difference. And if your blood pressure is already high. The Mayo Clinic Diet Online;. 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure Sheldon G. A primary goal of the new Mayo Clinic book. Understanding the link between diet and kidney disease.
All of them are judged to be safe for general use. The three artificial sweeteners primarily used in soft drinks and diet sodas are stevia, sucralose and aspartame. Stevia, a natural product, has been shown to possibly lower blood pressure in people who have high blood pressure. Sucralose, which has almost the same molecular structure as table sugar, does not have much, if any, effect on blood pressure. The bulk of diet sodas are made with aspartame. Aspartame does not appear to cause high blood pressure either. For example, in one study looking at a possible connection between the two, rats were fed either sugary foods or large doses of aspartame.
The results showed that blood pressure went down in the group that consumed the artificial sweetener. The most telling study, though, was done in humans. It tested blood pressure in four groups of overweight participants. Each group drank one liter of either regular soda with sugar, diet soda, milk or water every day for six months. Blood pressure in those who consumed the diet soda and the milk came down by 1. As you are considering the amount of diet soda you drink each day, it is worthwhile to note that some population studies, called epidemiologic research, show a relationship between the regular use of diet soda and obesity.
These studies also show a relationship between diet soda consumption and metabolic syndrome, and an increase in cardiovascular disorders. However, these are associations only. Some nonmedical literature you see may interpret those findings to mean that diet soda somehow causes these medical conditions. But, this type of research does not pinpoint the cause of the disorders. It only identifies factors that may be related to them. Although changing your diet soda habit may not have an effect on your blood pressure, other lifestyle changes can make a difference. For example, eat a healthy diet that is low in salt and has plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish and low- fat dairy foods.
Exercise regularly, and get to, and stay at, a healthy weight. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For women of all ages and men older than 6. Men 6. 5 and younger should have no more than two drinks a day. Manage stress in healthy ways.
But, sometimes lifestyle changes alone aren. Talk with your doctor about the blood pressure treatment options that are right for you. Irvin Cohen, Nephrology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Exercise: A drug- free approach to lowering high blood pressure. Exercise: A drug- free approach to lowering high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure and not getting enough exercise are closely related. Discover how small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference. By Mayo Clinic Staff.
Your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with age, but getting some exercise can make a big difference. And if your blood pressure is already high, exercise can help you control it. Don't think you've got to run a marathon or join a gym. Instead, start slow and work more physical activity into your daily routine.
How exercise can lower your blood pressure. How are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort.
If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure. Becoming more active can lower your systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading — by an average of 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
That's as good as some blood pressure medications. For some people, getting some exercise is enough to reduce the need for blood pressure medication. If your blood pressure is at a desirable level — less than 1. Hg — exercise can help prevent it from rising as you age. Regular exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight — another important way to control blood pressure.
But to keep your blood pressure low, you need to keep exercising on a regular basis. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on your blood pressure.
The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise. How much exercise do you need? Aerobic activity can be an effective way to control high blood pressure. But flexibility and strengthening exercises such as lifting weights are also important parts of an overall fitness plan. You don't need to spend hours in the gym every day to benefit from aerobic activity. Simply adding moderate physical activities to your daily routine will help.
Any physical activity that increases your heart and breathing rates is considered aerobic activity, including: Household chores, such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, gardening or scrubbing the floor. Active sports, such as basketball or tennis.
Climbing stairs. Walking. Jogging. Bicycling. Swimming. Dancing. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 1.
Aim for at least 3. If you can't set aside that much time at once, remember that shorter bursts of activity count, too. You can break up your workout into three 1. Also, if you sit for several hours a day, try to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting. Research has found that too much sedentary time can contribute to many health conditions.
Aim for five to 1. Consider setting a reminder in your email calendar or on your smartphone. Weight training and high blood pressure.
Weight training can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure during exercise. This increase can be dramatic, depending on how much weight you lift. But weightlifting can also have long- term benefits to blood pressure that outweigh the risk of a temporary spike for most people. And it can improve other aspects of cardiovascular health that can help to reduce overall cardiovascular risk. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends incorporating strength training exercises of all the major muscle groups into a fitness routine at least two times a week. If you have high blood pressure and you'd like to include weight training in your fitness program, remember: Learn and use proper form.
Using proper form and technique when weight training reduces the risk of injury. Don't hold your breath. Holding your breath during exertion can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure. Instead, breathe easily and continuously during each exercise. Lift lighter weights more times. Heavier weights require more strain, which can cause a greater increase in blood pressure.
You can challenge your muscles with lighter weights by increasing the number of repetitions you do. Listen to your body. Stop your activity right away if you become severely out of breath or dizzy, or if you experience chest pain or pressure. If you have high blood pressure, get your doctor's OK before adding weight training exercises to your fitness routine. Aug. 0. 6, 2. 01. Ask. Mayo. Expert.
Hypertension care process model, incorporate lifestyle modifications. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2. Physical activity and blood pressure. American Heart Association.
Accessed July 2. 7, 2. Eckel RH, et al. 2. AHA/ACC guideline on lifestyle management to reduce cardiovascular risk: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Brook RD, et al. Beyond medications and diet: Alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Kaplan NM. Exercise in the treatment and prevention of hypertension. Accessed July 2. 1, 2. Pescatello LS, et al., eds.
ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2. Durstine JL, et al.
In: ACSM's Exercise Management for Persons with Chronic Diseases and Disabilities. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed July 2. 1, 2. Bushman B. Promoting exercise as medicine for prediabetes and prehypertension. Current Sports Medicine Reports.
Pal S, et al. Potential benefits of exercise on blood pressure and vascular function. Journal of the American Society of Hypertension. Kokkinos P. Cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise, and blood pressure. Sheps SG. 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Clinic; 2. Home blood pressure monitoring. American Heart Association.
Accessed July 2. 8, 2. Sheps SG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Ibanez J, et al. Resistance training improves cardiovascular risk factors in obese women despite a significative decrease in serum adiponectin levels.
Marzolini S, et al. Effect of combined aerobic and resistance training versus aerobic training alone in individuals with coronary artery disease: A meta- analysis.
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. See more In- depth. See also. Medication- free hypertension control. Adrenal Nodule Create Health Risks.
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