DASH and Sodium: The Blood Pressure Evidence No Capsule Matches
Two eating changes have some of the best blood pressure data in nutrition. Here is what they did in trials and how to start.
The DASH trial
In 1997, the DASH trial fed 459 adults one of three diets for eight weeks. The DASH diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy and lower in saturated fat, lowered systolic and diastolic pressure by 5.5 and 3.0 mmHg more than the control diet. In people with hypertension the reductions were 11.4 and 5.5 mmHg, and they appeared within two weeks[1].
Adding lower sodium
The follow-up DASH-Sodium trial tested three sodium levels on both the DASH diet and a typical American diet. Lower sodium reduced pressure on both diets, and DASH combined with the lowest sodium level produced the largest reductions[2].
What DASH looks like
- Vegetables and fruit at most meals, about 8 to 10 servings a day.
- Whole grains instead of refined grains.
- Low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans and nuts.
- Fewer sweets, sugary drinks and fatty red meat.
- Sodium kept low, ideally toward 1,500 mg a day for many adults.
The NHLBI publishes free DASH meal plans and serving guides[3].
Stacking changes
The ACC/AHA guideline lists several lifestyle measures, each with an expected systolic reduction: DASH, sodium reduction, potassium-rich foods, weight loss, physical activity and moderate alcohol[5]. Exercise alone lowers systolic pressure by a few points[4]. Combined, they can rival a medicine for some people, and they help the heart in ways a supplement does not.
Where supplements fit
A nitric oxide supplement, such as Melonex, is at best a small extra on top of these steps. If you are deciding where to spend effort, start with the plate and the salt shaker, and keep measuring. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so readings are the only reliable guide[6].
Sources for this page
Every entry links to the original record. The trials used single amino acids, usually at several grams a day; none of them tested the Melonex capsule.
- 1Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. DASH Collaborative Research Group. N Engl J Med. 1997;336(16):1117-1124. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9099655/
- 2Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Vollmer WM, et al. Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(1):3-10. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11136953/
- 3National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. DASH Eating Plan. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan
- 4Cornelissen VA, Smart NA. Exercise training for blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2013;2(1):e004473. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23525435/
- 5Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13-e115. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29133356/
- 6National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. High Blood Pressure: What Is High Blood Pressure? www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure
Ready to run a fair 60-day Melonex trial?
Orders finish on the maker's BuyGoods checkout. Keep a morning blood pressure log, and if the numbers do not move, email support before day 60: opened and empty bottles both qualify.