Lower blood pressure without pills These sports clearly revise hypertension

High blood pressure exercise is just as effective as beta blockers or ACE inhibitors

Sport is healthy - that's what most people are aware of. Certain sports can even achieve the same beneficial effects on hypertension as high blood pressure medicines. An international research team recently found this out in a study with around 40,000 participants.

Researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science and Stanford University in California have demonstrated in a comprehensive meta-analysis of 391 hypertension studies that regular walking, swimming, cycling and simple strength training can produce the same effects as beta-blockers or ACE- inhibitors. The results were recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Anyone who regularly combines endurance sports such as swimming, walking or cycling with lightweight weight training exercises can thus achieve the same effects on blood pressure as with common medicines. (Image: Rido / fotolia.com)

Widespread disease hypertension

About every third adult in Germany suffers from hypertension. According to the German High Pressure League, 20 to 30 million people are affected in this country. Hypertension is considered the number one risk factor for many heart diseases. To avoid this, many people rely on medication every day. However, according to a recent study, there are other ways as well: A combination of endurance and strength training is an effective way to lower blood pressure and can provide patients with a good alternative to taking medications.

Naturally and effectively lower the blood pressure

The research team analyzed the results of 391 studies in which 39,700 people participated. They came to the conclusion that endurance training such as swimming, cycling, walking or cycling in combination with simple strength training such as weightlifting or push-ups can as effectively lower the blood pressure as current drugs to lower blood pressure.

Nobody should stop medications without authorization

Especially for patients who do not like to take regular medications, sport could be the right remedy. The researchers emphasize, however, that no one should autopilot sell his hypertension drugs. Because in sports, just as with the tablets apply: Only regularity can maintain protection. Of course, the blood pressure must be checked constantly with this method.

Sport instead of pills?

"We do not believe that patients should stop using their antihypertensive medications as a result of our study," says study principal Dr. Huseyin Naci from the London School of Economics in an English press release. Rather, the results should serve to better integrate sport as a means of lowering blood pressure into treatment. For example, sports can be prescribed by a doctor. This would then also have to control compliance and health effects. Only in this way could patients benefit from it.

Many people do not know about their hypertension

High blood pressure increases the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke as well as suffering from vascular dementia. The dangerous thing about hypertension is that it does not cause any symptoms. Many people do not notice their illness until severe sequelae occur. That's why hypertension is also called the "silent killer".

Dietary fiber also lowers blood pressure

In addition to sports, fiber can also help to lower blood pressure in a natural way. Dietary fibers have a similar effect on high blood pressure as blood pressure pills, recently a German research team from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin recently published in a study entitled "Circulation". (Vb)