Tea & Blood Pressure
Black tea lowers the rate of blood pressure variation: a randomized controlled trial
2013 American Society for Nutrition
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/04/02/ajcn.112.051375.abstract
Effect of tea on blood pressure for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Nutrition Reviews 2015 73: 236-246
http://nutritionreviews.oxfordjournals.org/content/73/4/236
And here I was thinking that I had improved my control over anxiety and better cardio health thanks to exercise. I just need to drink MORE TEA! :D
Interesting articles but not much more than that. I personally doubt that tea will lower blood pressure. I don’t think those were comprehensive studies.
Two personal data points on blood pressure. I measure mine regularly, and tried a before/after experiment while drinking a puerh with a particularly strong cha qi. My BP was about 10 points lower after the tea. This is more or less the same as I would get from 10-15 minutes of meditation. Sadly, the effect was quite short-lived.
On the other hand, my BP used to fluctuate by about 10-15 points when I visited the doctor. I finally found a correlation: it was lower if it was early in the day (before my 1st cup of coffee). I don’t see this kind of effect from black tea.
Hmm… My doctor told me that caffeine would raise my blood pressure. Particularly when combined with a high salt diet and stress. But then they also told me that it seemed that my BP was artificially inflated whenever a doctor measured it in office versus what I was measuring at home, so they couldn’t actually say if my BP was actually high or not.
I know from tracking my BP that when I drink tea to wake up and as a normal drinking thing, it doesn’t seem to change my levels overly much, but when I use it as a calming technique BP goes down. But sitting with the cat on my lap does pretty much the same thing, so go figure. A much better remedy in my opinion than pills.
I used to have what my doctor called “anxiety pressure”. I was in my early twenties and had normal blood pressure most of the time but would get so worked up at the doctors that it would go through the roof, 180/120 sort of numbers. Then they would have me sit still in a quiet place for 5-10 minutes, measure it again, and it would be in the normal range. I check it occasionally at random points in the day and barring times of extreme stress, it’s in the normal range.
It’s fun to do it over and over and see how different the numbers are, even from one minute to the next.
It’s called “White Coat Syndrome”. I have it – or that’s what my doc told me it was called. It’s really common. Some people are just stressed about being in the doctor’s office and initial BP is high and when they check again later, it gets better.
I like how they all have different terms. :)
I think it’s pretty common too. They weren’t surprised by it at all – but of course it made my BP higher, haha.
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