The Association of Iron Intake and Hypertension, Does Iron Intake Decrease Blood Pressure?

Previous studies reported that iron may have an indispensable role in the risk of hypertension (HTN). However, the result of the studies on the relationship between iron and risk of HTN is inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the association between the association of dietary iron intake and HTN in the Iranian population. This case-control study was conducted on 4184 people aged 35 to 70, including 1239 people with HTN and 2945 people with normal blood pressure (BP) in Sabzevar, Iran. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The Nutritionist IV software was used in terms of the assessment of dietary intake of iron. An inverse association was found between iron intake and HTN (OR = 0.97, CI 95%: 0.94-0.99, P = 0.04). The association remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, smoking, drinking alcohol, calorie intake, and BMI (OR = 0.94, CI 95%: 0.89-0.98, P = 0.01). As a conclusion, iron intake was inversely associated with HTN. Further longitudinal studies on the effect of iron intake on BP are required to confirm this finding.

Effects of blackberry (Morus nigra L.) consumption on serum concentration of lipoproteins, apo A-I, apo B, and high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein and blood pressure in dyslipidemic patients.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated blackberry (Persian mulberry) effects on apo A-I, apo B, high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in dyslipidemic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this 8-week randomized clinical trial, 72 dyslipidemic patients were randomly divided into two groups: Intervention (300 mL/day blackberry juice with pulp) and control group (usual diets). Before and after the intervention, fasting blood samples were taken from both groups and serum concentration of lipoprotein, apo A-I and apo B, serum lipids (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], and triglyceride), hs-CRP were measured. Blood pressure before and after the study was measured with a mercury manometer. RESULTS: At week 8 in the intervention group, apo A-I and HDL increased significantly (P = 0.015, P = 0.001, respectively), apo B and hs-CRP decreased significantly (P = 0.044, P = 0.04, respectively). Mean changes in apo A-I and HDL and apo B/apo A-I ratio were significant between the groups (P = 0.005, P = 0.014, and P = 0.009, respectively). After 8 weeks, there was a significant difference between hs-CRP mean values (P = 0.01) of the groups. At week 8, SBP decreased significantly (P = 0.005) in the intervention group with no significant differences for SBP mean values between the groups. No significant changes were observed in other lipid parameters and DBP in the intervention group and between the groups. CONCLUSION: Blackberry consumption may exert beneficial effects on apolipoproteins, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers in individuals with lipid disorders.

Whey protein preloads are more beneficial than soy protein preloads in regulating appetite, calorie intake, anthropometry, and body composition of overweight and obese men.

High-protein diets exert beneficial effects on appetite, anthropometry, and body composition; however, the effects of protein preloads depend on the amount, type, and time of consumption. Therefore, we hypothesized that long-term supplemental preloads of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and soy protein isolate (SPI) consumed 30 minutes before the largest meal would decrease appetite, calorie intake (CI), and anthropometry and improve body composition in overweight and obese men in free-living conditions. The subjects included 45 men with a body mass index between 25 and 40 kg/m(2) and who were randomly allocated to either the WPC (n = 26) or SPI (n = 19) groups. For 12 weeks, the subjects consumed 65 g WPC or 60 g SPI that was dissolved in 500 mL water 30 minutes before their ad libitum lunch. Appetite, CI, anthropometry, and body composition were assessed before and after the study and biweekly throughout. After 12 weeks, mean changes between the groups were significant for appetite (P = .032), CI (P = .045), anthropometry (body weight [P = .008], body mass index [P = .006], and waist circumference), and body composition (body fat mass and lean muscle [P < .001]). Relative to baseline, within-group mean changes from WPC were significant for appetite, CI, anthropometry, and body composition (P < .001). In the SPI group, mean changes were significant, relative to baseline, for all variables except lean muscle (P = .37). According to this 12-week study, WPC preloads conducted 30 minutes prior to the ad libitum main meal exerted stronger beneficial effects than did SPI preloads on appetite, CI, anthropometry, and body composition of free-living overweight and obese men.