Natural ACE Inhibitors for High Blood Pressure Treatment & A Comparison of Blood Pressure Reducing Chemicals

So natural is of course becoming more and more popular, and for good reason - nature knows best. This is also true for blood pressure control, and nature has some very nicely put together ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitors.

First off, what are the benefits of ACE inhibition as opposed to beta blockade or alpha blockade?

Well for one, they are less likely to cause fatigue and hormone disturbances.

Beta blockers work by reducing sympathetic outflow; that's a fancy way of saying they reduce adrenaline production.

However, in the signaling cascade that would normally go with beta activation, testosterone and other hormones are also produced, therefore beta blockers can cause sexual dysfunction and decreases in testosterone levels. For this reason, among others, betablockers are shunned.

Alpha blockers while safer, are usually only recommended in those who don't respond well to beta blockers, have chronic stress and / or a pheochromocytoma - an adrenaline secreting tumor. In which case, beta blockade would shift adrenaline to the far more dangerous alpha 1 receptor, and given the already designed excess of these chemicals in such a condition - sets the person up for a heart attack or uncontrollable blood pressure spikes.
                          {REFERENCE 1}
                          {REFERENCE 2}

Beta blockers and alpha blockers both share fatigue and possible sexual dysfunction as a result - though alpha blockers are regarded to generally improve sexual function as opposed to beta blockers...they can still cause it - and can blunt the orgasm response.

Beta blockers have in some instances caused delirium, hallucinations even, and in some cases, other forms of psychosis.(!)


Now while some pharmaceutical ACE inhibitors can have negative effects on adrenal steroid production, this doesn't seem to be the case with natural ones - probably because they work in rhythm with your body and not against it. All of the natural compounds are more readily used and recognizable by your body. Herbs are basically food after all. A fancy vegetable, so to speak.


Well let's get to the good stuff now. 


The first natural ACE inhibitor is actually triple mechanism, but is primarily an ACE inhibitor - and this would be HAWTHORNE BERRY EXTRACT...

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.ca/mpacms/dc_ca/article.php?id=53661
http://peaktestosterone.com/Natural_ACE_Inhibitors.aspx
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0215/p465.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2754502/




The next natural ACE inhibitor is more well known, and is also very protective on nitric oxide - as opposed to many HBP chemicals - in fact , some bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts have been using pomegranate extract and drinking pomegranate juice to help enhance the pump before workout. It can also synergize quite nicely with other N.O boosting products such as L-arginine and citrulline.

                          {REFERENCE 1}

                          {REFERENCE 2}

                         {REFERENCE 3}

I recommend the following pomegranate supplement for high blood pressure and natural ACE inhibition.