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by Answerbag Staff on October 23rd, 2009

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Can Atkins Diet Lower Blood Pressure?

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  • by Dana George on October 23rd, 2009

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    Professionally Researched. (What's this?)

    On One Hand: Atkins Could Lower Blood Pressure

    Since obesity and high blood pressure often go hand-in-hand, the weight loss you can undergo with the Atkins Diet theoretically helps to reduce your blood pressure. This is largely due to the fact that the more excess weight you carry, the greater distance your blood must circulate to meet your needs. To accommodate this, your body actually increases the volume of your blood, which places a great deal more pressure on the blood vessels. Any sort of weight loss should decrease this volume, thereby reducing blood pressure.

    On the Other: Atkins May Not Lower Blood Pressure

    There is also the potential that a diet rich in protein, as is the case in the Atkins Diet, can lead to an escalation in the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. Many of the high-protein foods that make up this type of diet are animal-based, and often contain more saturated fat and cholesterol than the carbohydrates you've cut. Over time, an increased amount of lipids (fat) in your blood can cause plaque to develop along your arterial walls, narrowing your arteries. This forces your heart to work that much harder to move blood to your other organs, increasing your blood pressure.

    Bottom Line

    If you were to maintain a high-protein diet like the Atkins Diet for a short period of time, you shouldn't see an increase in your blood pressure. It may actually serve to lower your blood pressure. However, more prolonged periods of maintaining a diet rich in protein and high in fat can eventually cause an elevation in blood pressure not only due to the increase in saturated fat and cholesterol, but also the decrease in fruits, vegetables and whole grains necessary to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

    Source:

    Mayo Clinic: High Blood Pressure

    Mayo Clinic: High-Protein Diets

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