Can Fasting Help Lower Your Blood Pressure?
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There are proven means to reduce blood pressure, including sufficient exercise and limitation of your sodium intake. Fasting also drew attention as a potential approach to manage blood pressure.
Research suggests that Fasting can be effective for some people with high blood pressureBut that it is a safe and effective option for you may depend on several factors.
Fasting can help reduce high blood pressureSome research suggests.
In a study published in 2022, adults with and without blood pressure threw a fast for 16 hours. After a day, people with high blood pressure saw a decrease in their daytime blood pressure. In comparison, participants without hypertension have not seen any change.
Another review, published in 2021, examined a fasting type called the alternative fast, where you eat every two days. The researchers found that this could reduce both systolic (upper number) and diastolic (lower number) blood pressure over several months in people with high blood pressure.
For what? Experts do not know exactly how and why fasting can modestly lower high blood pressure. Some believe that this may be due to the way intermittent fasting could influence potential causes or contributors to high blood pressure. For example, fasting can promote weight management and decrease the risk of excess weight on your blood pressure.
Fasting can also have other health benefits. Research suggests that fasting can lead to:
- Improvement of cholesterol and triglycerides: Fasting can lower your LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol and your triglycerides (blood fats).
- More blood sugar: more stable: Fasting can help improve the way your body manages sugar, especially if you have obesity or prediabreaking.
- Appetite control and weight loss: In some studies, people who have followed alternative fast lost 3 to 8% of their body weight over a period of 3 to 12 weeks.
- Inflammation diminished: Fasting can help reduce markers of inflammation in the blood. Inflammation is associated with high blood pressure.
All of these effects can help improve your overall cardiovascular (heart) (heart) health.
Although intermittent fasting may have certain advantages, certain research suggests that fasting could also have risks, such as:
- Dehydration
- Headache
- Electrolytic imbalance
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Concentration difficulties
- Irregular cardiac rhythms
- Irritability and other mood changes
People with certain health problems or health factors may want to avoid fasting. Remember to talk to a doctor before trying to help lower blood pressure if you:
- Have an existing heart disease
- Are pregnant
- Are under 12 or more than 70
- Have a history of food disorder
- Have an immune disorder
- Have diabetes
- Need to take medication with food at regular times
There are several key considerations to keep in mind if you want to try fasting for better control of blood pressure. Consider these tips for fasting in complete safety:
- Consult a health care provider: It is important to discuss fasting with a recorded doctor or dietitian. They can tell you about your personal health factors and the risks and potential advantages associated with them with regard to fasting.
- Choose the type of fast that suits you best: Research has not yet shown if one type of fast is more effective than another to reduce high blood pressure. Choose the approach that can work better for you and your lifestyle.
- Drink a lot of water: Taking enough liquids can help you avoid dehydration and related effects, such as headache.
- Eat to avoid side effects: Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help prevent constipation, a common side effect of fasting. It is also important to avoid ultra-adjustment foods, which can cause overeating and weight gain.
- Concentrate on nutrition: Although alcohol is authorized during intermittent fasting, it may be better to avoid it, because it does not provide nutrients.
- Save exercise when you can eat: It is always possible to exercise while following an intermittent empty stomach diet, but experts recommend eating after the exercise for your safety.
Fasting can help lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, the results vary and some research suggests, especially for the elderly and people with heart disease. There are different types of fasting and each type can affect blood pressure differently. Fasting is not sure for everyone, so it is important to speak with a health care provider before starting.


