Folic Acid and Magnesiums Affect on Hypertension Morgan Lepley Introduction/Objective: Hypertension is the term used to describe high

blood pressure. It is measure of the force pressing against the artery walls. Normal blood pressure is anything lower than 120/80 mm Hg. Hypertension, or high blood pressure is greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg. Anything in between 120/80 140/90 mm Hg is called pre-hypertensive [1]. Some factors that affect blood pressure include the levels of Na+ and H2O in the body, the state of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels, and the levels of different body hormones [1].Hypertension affects over 65 million U.S. adults [2]. This disease affects individuals between the ages 1860+, but is most prevalent in adults over 60 years of age[2]. The control of hypertension and blood pressure can be extremely important for reducing the prevalence of certain risk factors such as myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and renal failure. Since hypertension often has no signs or symptoms, many cases go unnoticed [2]. Thus, proving to be a major health challenge in America. The suggested remedies for hypertension are exercise regularly, stay at a healthy body weight, reduce stress, reduce the amount of sodium intake, and eat a heart healthy diet [1]. The objective of the first of the two research articles is that folic acid can be a hypotensor in the presence of chronic alcoholism through the reduction of hyperhomocysteinemia, and by its affect on hydricsaline balance and hypertension[3]. The second article studies the studies the affect a high magnesium diet has on lowering blood pressure [4]. Article 1: In the article, The effects of ethanol upon hydric balance and arterial pressure in rats: Folic acid as a possible hypotensor, by M.J. Barrero, et al, discuss that chronic alcoholism increases serum levels of homocysteine and aldosterone. The increase in the serum levels of these two hormones causes an increase in arterial blood pressure. Hyperhomocysteinemia favors the development of endothelial dysfunction and possesses thrombogenic and atherogenic properties. [3] Folic acid helps with this by reducing the levels of serum homocysteine and increasing aldosterone levels, thus causing an hypertensor effect [3]. This study used four groups of rats: control, alcohol, alcohol with folic acid, and control with folic acid. The rats were studied over two 4-week periods. The first 4 weeks included alcohol induction and the second 4 weeks chronic alcoholism [3]. The supplemented diets contained 8mg/kg of folic acid, whereas the nonsupplemented diets contained 2mg/kg of folic acid. In the first set of 4 week the rats were given 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% alcohol in their water each week. The last 4 weeks contained 30% alcohol for all 4 weeks [3]. At the beginning and end of each 4 week sets the rats serum homocysteine, aldosterone clearance, and arterial pressure were measured [3]. Article 2: In the article Dietary Magnesium Intake and Risk of Incident Hypertension Among Middle-Aged and Older US Women in a 10-Year Follow-Up Study by Yiqing Song, et al, a total of 28,349 of women over the age of 45 participated in the study [4]. All of these women reported that they had a normal blood pressure and did not have a history of hypertension. The women filled out a questionnaire inquiring about their magnesium intake. After a 10-year follow up, 8,544 women developed hypertension [4]. Compared with the questionaires filled out 10 years prior, researchers found an inverse relationship between magnesium and developing a risk for hypertension from the newly developed cases of hypertension [4]. The calculations were adjusted for other risk factors. Conculsion: Higher intakes of dietary folic acid are associated decreased risk of hypertension through decreased serum homocysteine and increased clearance of aldosterone. Magnesium showed a decrease risk for hypertension, though the mechanism was not discussed. Supplementation of folic acid and magnesium showed no significant influence in either case for decreased risk of hypertension [3,4].

References [1] Hypertension. Pub Med Health. Reviewed by David C. Dugdale III and David Zieve on 10 June 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001502/ [2] Ong, Kwok Leung, et al. Hypertension Treatment and Control: Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension Among United States Adults. American Heart Association 2007; 49: 69-75. [3] Barrero, M.J, et al. The effects of ethanol upon hydric balance and arterial pressure in rats: Folic acid as a possible hypotensor. Life Sciences: 2012; 90:910: 337-342, ISSN 0024-3205, 10.1016/j.lfs.2011.12.008. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320511005996) [4] Song, Yiqing, et al. Dietary Magnesium Intake and Risk of Incident Hypertension Among Middle-Aged and Older US Women in a 10-Year Follow-Up Study. The American Journal of Cardiology. 2006; 98:12: 1616-1621, ISSN 0002-9149, 10.1016/j.amjcard.2006.07.040. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914906017164)