What Science Says About Keto and Blood Pressure

High blood pressure predominantly affects the brain by damaging its blood vessels, increasing the risk of dementia and reducing cognitive function. Hypertension also affects the heart, as well as mental and physical well-being. Nutrition is a great way to create balance in your body and mind if you’re interested in mental health and personal development.

Why does blood pressure drop on a keto diet? The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate and high-fat approach that’s gained popularity for its overall positive impact on cardiovascular health and contribution to a calmer and more focused state of being.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

An overworked heart results in high blood pressure. Too much blood is pumped throughout your body, resulting in it being pushed into the arteries and causing a pressure buildup. The pressure fluctuates as the heart contracts (systolic pressure) and relaxes (diastolic pressure) to create circulation — therefore, high blood pressure is also known as hypertension.

When your blood pressure is above the normal range of 120/80, it’s called high blood pressure — 120 is your systolic reading, and 80 is your diastolic reading. Nearly half of the U.S. adult population has high blood pressure, and from that count, doctors estimate that 94.9 million can treat it with lifestyle changes.

Three main factors cause high blood pressure, including:

• Lifestyle choices: Diet, daily exercise, weight management, smoking and stress affect blood pressure.
• Underlying health conditions: Failing to treat health conditions like kidney issues, diabetes or thyroid problems can increase your blood pressure.
• Other factors: High blood pressure can also be linked to age, family history and various medications.

What Is the Ketogenic Diet?

An estimated 2.8 million people die worldwide due to obesity complications, making keto a diet market that’s expected to grow to $12 billion by 2028. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat nutritional approach that shifts the body’s main energy source from glucose to ketones.

When you limit your carb intake, your body looks for other energy sources. Glucose is derived from carbohydrates, and ketones are derived from dietary or stored fat. The process of your body using fat instead of glucose as an energy source is called ketosis. The keto diet benefits your weight management and health journey.

The keto diet has four core principles:

• Reduce carbs: The diet requires significantly reducing carb intake, forcing the body to search elsewhere for energy.
• Increase fat intake: You must consume high-fat foods to compensate for the reduced carbs.
• Enter ketosis: Your body enters a metabolic state where it produces ketones to replace carb energy.
• Manage keto flu: People new to keto report fatigue and headaches from the change in diet. It’s important to stay hydrated and nourished to avoid or manage the keto flu.

Be sure to include these foods in the keto diet:

• Avocados: Avocados are ideal if you’re trying to lose weight and have high cholesterol because they will reduce your levels and provide healthy fats. Test your cholesterol levels at least every four years to ensure your diet doesn’t affect your health.
• Seeds: Flax seeds are good for inflammation, and chia seeds provide healthy fat and are high in fiber.
• Protein: Be sure to eat protein in moderation to improve muscle growth and repair.

Exclude these items:

• Fried foods: Fried foods are unhealthy for your heart, so limit their intake.
• Trans fats: Limit processed foods like pastries, cookies and cakes.

There are several keto diet formats to follow, but the general rule is that your intake should be 70% to 80% fats, 5% to 10% carbohydrates, and 10% to 20% proteins for a balanced diet.

How the Keto Diet Improves Blood Pressure

Here are three ways the keto diet may help lower your blood pressure:

1. Insulin Reduction

The diet reduces insulin by forcing the body to rely on fat for energy. Reducing carbohydrates lowers the body’s insulin level, which benefits people with Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance. Blood pressure is also decreased.

2. Weight Loss

Reducing carbs doesn’t automatically mean you lose weight. Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you burn. When you draw energy from fat instead of glucose, you lose weight.

The keto diet focuses on the intake of healthier fats and smaller portions of carbohydrates, enabling you to drop pounds. Losing weight takes pressure off your heart because it doesn’t need to pump rapidly to ensure a constant supply of blood. A healthier heart decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and gives you more energy.

3. Inflammation

Ketones suppress inflammatory pathways through the ketosis process, taking pressure off your arteries, which may be blocked because of excessive blood flow from the heart. You have 60,000 miles of blood vessels — when they’re functional, your body receives sufficient oxygen and nutrients and can better remove waste.

Concerns About the Keto Diet

While the keto diet has several benefits for weight management and a healthier body and brain, it may raise your blood pressure. Keep your eye on the following:

Sodium Intake

If your diet is not balanced, you create an imbalance in potassium and sodium. When you don’t have enough sodium, your body releases a hormone called aldosterone, which raises your blood pressure.

Long-Term Nutritional Effects

If you reduce your carbohydrates and various other nutrient intakes without replacing them, your blood pressure may rise because carbs, potassium and several other nutrients balance blood pressure.

Consult with a health care practitioner before starting a keto diet to understand the advantages and disadvantages you may face in the long run.

A Holistic Path to Health

Implementing the keto diet correctly lowers blood pressure levels, improves heart rate, decreases inflammation and insulin, and results in healthier eating and exercise choices. A healthy body leads to a healthy lifestyle.

However, it’s essential to consult your health practitioner before starting the keto diet, especially if you have preexisting conditions like Type 2 diabetes. Under the proper guidance, a keto diet can help you balance your body and improve your well-being, helping you uncover a better version of yourself.

 

Want to unlock greater wellness?

Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Dr. John Lieurance; Founder of MitoZen; creators of the ZEN Spray and Lumetol Blue™ Bars with Methylene Blue.