Good news for beef lovers. New research out of the Boston University School of Medicine finds adults who consume a high-protein diet may be at a lower risk for developing high blood pressure.

 

The study, published in the American Journal of Hypertension, indicates individuals who consume an average of 100 grams protein each day — a little more than the protein in an eight-ounce steak — had a 40 percent lower risk of having high blood pressure than those on low-protein diets.
 

One of three Americans has hypertension and 78.6 million are clinically obese — a risk factor for the development of hypertension. Because of the strain that it puts on blood vessel walls, it is one of the most common risk factors for stroke and heart disease, especially when paired with excess body weight.
 

To reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed the diets of healthy participants from the Framingham Offspring Study and monitored their blood pressure over an 11-year period. They found that adults who consumed more protein, whether from animal or plant sources, had markedly lower blood pressure levels after four years of follow-up, regardless of whether they were overweight.
 

They also found dietary protein also was associated with lower long-term risks for high blood pressure.
 

"These results provide no evidence to suggest that individuals concerned about the development of [hypertension] should avoid dietary protein. Rather, protein intake may play a role in the long-term prevention of [it]," explained Lynn Moore, associate professor of medicine at BUSM. "This growing body of research on the vascular benefits of protein, including this study, suggest[s] we need to revisit optimal protein intake for optimal heart health."
 

This study was funded, in part, by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.