Many people are concerned about their blood pressure and worry that it could be a sign of heart disease. Lowering your blood pressure can help prevent or reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events. However, losing too much weight — if you’re underweight, to begin with — may cause your blood pressure to drop too low. In this article, learn about whether weight loss lowers your blood pressure.
Can Weight Loss Cause High Blood Pressure?
It’s important to remember that low blood pressure isn’t the same as high blood pressure. High blood pressure means that the pressure inside your arteries is higher than the pressure in your veins. You can have high blood pressure without any symptoms or problems. Some people develop high blood pressure due to aging or health conditions, or from taking certain medications. Having high blood pressure doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll develop heart disease or a stroke. It is, however, a serious risk factor for both conditions. Many people worry about lowering their blood pressure enough to cause a drop in blood volume. A low blood volume is called an “anemic” state and can lead to dizziness, fatigue, and even fainting. While it’s possible that dropping your blood pressure enough to cause an anemic state could lead to a heart attack or stroke, that’s rare.
What’s the connection between weight loss and blood pressure?
You may be concerned that losing weight could lower your blood pressure, especially if you’ve already tried to lose weight and failed. Unfortunately, the two aren’t linked. A person’s blood pressure isn’t related to their body weight. Rather, it’s related to a person’s overall health and the medications they take.
Effects of weight loss on blood pressure
There have been small studies that looked at the effects on blood pressure losing weight. These studies found that people who lost weight had lower blood pressure. However, these studies were too small to show any significant effects. For example, one study found that people who lost 5% of their body weight had a 3 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure, but this only lasted for several weeks. The drop in blood pressure was caused by a reduction in salt and water weight, not sodium loss.
Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure with Weight Loss
Weight loss can have many health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease. In fact, losing 5-10% of your body weight can lower blood pressure and improve blood cholesterol levels, blood glucose control, and blood pressure for people who are overweight or obese. People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. In addition to trying traditional diet and exercise approaches for weight loss, doctors are increasingly recommending bariatric surgery for people who are severely obese. Bariatric surgery removes or reduces the amount of food that can be stored in the stomach, so people feel full sooner and have less room for calories. An alternative to bariatric surgery is to try a low-carbohydrate diet. Low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to cause rapid losses of body fat and improvements in blood pressure, blood glucose control, and blood lipids.
Summary
Losing weight can lower your blood pressure, but it’s unlikely to cause a high blood pressure diagnosis. In fact, people who are overweight or obese may have low blood pressure, rather than high blood pressure. Low blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other conditions, though. So, losing weight can reduce your risk of these diseases, as well as improve your overall health.
How to Reduce Blood Pressure with Weight Loss
- Make sure to get enough vegetables in your diet. Vegetables are high in potassium and anti-hypertensive nutrients that can help to lower blood pressure. - Invest in a heart-healthy pillow. Sleeping with the wrong pillow or position can cause elevated blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease. Try switching to a low-cost pillow that has been shown to improve blood pressure. - Make your bed a healthier sleeping environment. Keeping your desk, bedside table, and other areas near your sleeping area clean can help you to reduce your risk of high blood pressure. - Get 30 minutes of exercise daily. Exercising regularly can help to reduce blood pressure and improve your heart health. - Watch what you eat. A high-calorie diet is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, while a low-calorie diet can help to reduce your blood pressure and improve your health.
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