Effect on Blood Pressure of Daily Lemon Ingestion and Walking

Abstract

Background. Recent studies suggest that the daily intake of lemon (Citrus limon) has a good effect on health, but this has not been confirmed in humans. In our previous studies, it was observed that people who are conscious of their health performed more lemon intake and exercise. An analysis that took this into account was required. Methodology. For 101 middle-aged women in an island area in Hiroshima, Japan, a record of lemon ingestion efforts and the number of steps walked was carried out for five months. The change rates (Δ%) of the physical measurements, blood test, blood pressure, and pulse wave measured value during the observation period were calculated, and correlations with lemon intake and the number of steps walked were considered. As a result, it was suggested that daily lemon intake and walking are effective for high blood pressure because both showed significant negative correlation to systolic blood pressure Δ%. Conclusions. As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, it was possible that lemon ingestion is involved more greatly with the blood citric acid concentration Δ% and the number of steps with blood pressure Δ%, and it was surmised that the number of steps and lemon ingestion are related to blood pressure improvement by different action mechanisms.

Herbal medicine use among Turkish patients with chronic diseases

“…The results are consistent with our study. Although lemon was the most preferred one for HT, its effectiveness for decreasing blood pressure was not shown before certainly [ 26 ].…”

Citrus limon (Lemon) Phenomenon—A Review of the Chemistry, Pharmacological Properties, Applications in the Modern Pharmaceutical, Food, and Cosmetics Industries, and Biotechnological Studies

“…Instances of lemon juice ingestion and the number of steps walked had been recorded for five months. The results indicated that daily lemon juice intake and walking were effective in reducing high blood pressure because both showed significant negative correlations with systolic blood pressure (Table 7) [63].…”

“…[1,62] Effects on the cardiovascular system -Limiting myocardial damage (naringenin); -Decreasing blood fibrinogen; -Lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension. [1,11,63] Effects on the nervous system -Strengthening short-term memory.…”

Achacha (Garcinia humilis) Rind Improves Cardiovascular Function in Rats with Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome

“…Citric acid showed hypotensive effects in normotensive mice, producing 23% and 71% reductions in mean arterial blood pressure at doses of 3 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg, respectively [ 65 ]; in our study, citric acid was administered at 104 mg/kg/day in HAR rats ( Table 1 ). In addition, an investigation on the consumption of lemon juice, walking, and blood pressures in 33–77 year-old Japanese women showed that blood citric acid concentrations negatively correlated with the changes in blood pressure [ 66 ]. Citric acid may promote the absorption of calcium and magnesium that could affect blood pressure [ 67 , 68 , 69 ].…”