Linus Pauling – High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension – the silent killer

High blood pressure is a silent condition that keeps on giving birth to other diseases. This is the reason why it is good to regularly check your blood pressure and take the necessary measures to keep it at the normal level. Even though high blood pressure is associated with aging, young and healthy individuals can still be affected. You may never know you have it until tested. Other causes of hypertension are stress, being inactive, medications, medical problems and being overweight and obese.

What happens is that the artery becomes damaged following constant blood pumping at high pressure. This eventually leads to artery wall damage-causing heart failure, kidney failure, and even enlargement of the heart. With the mention of blood vessels, Linus Pauling’s work on Vitamin C comes in handy in the prevention of blood pressure.

As a celebrated two-time Nobel Prize recipient, Linus’ thoughts on how vitamin C could be the gateway to different cures including that of cancer, cold and cardiovascular disease give insight to today’s research including those on high blood pressure.

Linus Pauling’s Vitamin C Obsession

Linus Pauling came about the idea of vitamin C as an effective treatment of cardiovascular disease by discovering that the mechanical damage of the coronary arteries was a major cause of atherosclerosis. The stress from the expansion and contraction of blood under pressure damaged the walls of the artery. Good thing the human body can do the necessary repairs with the right resources.

Collagen is the resource at hand here and is responsible for making the blood vessels flexible and strong. Unfortunately, collagen is produced after the synthesis of Vitamin C, which we can no longer do after years of evolution. But the body will often use calcium, fibrinogen, and cholesterol as a temporary repair by forming a patch.

Linus Pauling furthered his research citing that ascorbate/ vitamin C, helps maintain healthy arteries as well as dissolve plaques improving cardiovascular health.

High blood pressure treatment

Following Pauling’s studies, scientists have supported his theory by conducting experiments on high-blood pressure patients regardless of their characteristics.  That is, they had smokers, people of different ages, different sex, race, etc., for a more conclusive study.

Boston University School of Medicine in conjunction with Linus Pauling Institute is one example. Their findings were backed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH).  In the research, it was acknowledged that hypertension or high blood pressure is a major health issue and is a well-known factor in stroke and heart disease conditions.

Professor Balz Frei of Linus institute and other researchers found out that a vitamin C daily intake of 500 milligrams reduced blood pressure as well as gave the body other benefits, particularly if obtained from fruits and vegetables.

From the studies data, the systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure dropped significantly from 155 to 142, 87 to 79, and 110 to 100 respectively.

The mechanism for this result is uncertain but the report had a hunch stating that it could be the fact that vitamin C is an antioxidant that protected nitric oxide levels. The nitric oxide helps relax blood vessels thereby maintaining normal pressure.

In another study, vitamin C improved endothelial functions reducing the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and preventing chest pains from angina pectoris.

These case reports are among many that have similar findings in the control of blood pressure using vitamin C supplements.

Vitamin C repairs and heals the body maintains healthy bones and is crucial in the absorption of iron and now, it reduces high blood pressure. However, vitamin C supplements do not have an effect on people with normal pressure as the studies above showed. All in all, Linus Pauling played a big role in this discovery and we appreciate him for that.

If you are interested to hear about my personal experience with taking the Pauling Protocol and the amazing results I had please click here.