If you want to lower blood pressure naturally, from a functional medicine approach, you have to find out why your blood pressure is high in the first place. One often overlooked cause of high blood pressure, also called hypertension, is an imbalance in neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals your body makes that have a huge effect in the body. More well known problems associated with neurotransmitter imbalance are things like anxiety, depression, insomnia, addictive behaviors and low libido. A much less well known effect of imbalanced neurotransmitters is hypertension.
This may sound super technical but its really not. I think everyone knows that feeling stressed can make blood pressure go up. Simply put, neurotransmitter imbalance can cause you to feel stressed, anxious and worried, and that will raise blood pressure.
How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally: Neurotransmitter Imbalance
Serotonin
Serotonin is the most recognized neurotransmitter. When serotonin is out of balance, it can cause depression, anxiety, worry, obsessive thoughts and behaviors, carbohydrate cravings, PMS, difficulty with pain control, and sleep cycle disturbances. It’s logical to assume that if someone is experiencing these symptoms, there’s a good possibility of hypertension as well.
Scientific studies on the effect of serotonin and blood pressure have found several ways this neurotransmitter can impact blood pressure. Serotonin influences the blood, blood vessels, heart, adrenal glands, kidneys, and brain—all of which play a crucial role in regulating blood pressure
GABA
Low levels of the neurotransmitter Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) can contribute to anxiety and worry. Again, it’s not too hard to imagine an anxious worried person having hypertension as a result.
There have been some interesting studies looking at chlorella and blood pressure. Chlorella is has a lot of GABA in it. What these studies found is that chlorella can help lower blood pressure. I wish these studies would have first tested people for both low GABA and high blood pressure. My hunch is that the results would have been even more impressive. If they gave chlorella to someone with hypertension but normal or high GABA, the effect of adding more GABA would not help.
Dopamine
Dopamine, like other excitatory neurotransmitters, plays a significant role in blood pressure regulation. It affects the central and peripheral nervous systems, vascular smooth muscle, the heart, and the kidneys, all of which are involved in controlling blood pressure. For instance, high dopamine levels can cause blood vessels to constrict, increase heart rate, and lead to fluid retention in the kidneys—all of which can raise blood pressure (PubMed).
Norepinephrine & Epinephrine
Norepinephrine and epinephrine are released during the “fight or flight” response, and their levels increase in moments of stress or fear. These neurotransmitters are produced in the brain and adrenal glands. While they are important in acute stress situations, chronic elevation can lead to hypertension. Ongoing high levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine are strongly linked to increased blood pressure (PubMed; Hypertension).
Glutamate
Glutamate is another excitatory neurotransmitter, and its levels can be elevated through the consumption of monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common flavor enhancer found in many processed foods. Make sure you are reading the labels of your favorite snack food!
How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally | Testing
Testing for neurotransmitters is as simple as collecting some urine and sending it to the lab.
Let me show you a test result of a patient who was experiencing hypertension.
As you can see this patient had low serotonin, high dopamine and extremely high epinephrine. Knowing what you know from this article I bet it’s no surprise to you that this patient had hypertension.
Here is what this patient’s neurotransmitter test looked like after treatment.
Not only was this patient suffering from just hypertension, she was also experiencing depression and anxiety. My patient was very happy with the results of her treatment because her hypertension, anxiety and depression all got better.
How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally | Treatment
The type of treatment of neurotransmitter imbalance totally depends on the test results. No two patients have the exact same treatment, because no two people will have the same test results. However, every treatment is 100% drug free! The right combination of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and herbs will make up a treatment plan to correct the neurotransmitter imbalance.
Now, of course, not all cases of hypertension are a result of neurotransmitter imbalance. While it is a common cause and should be tested, toxins, intestinal problems, infections, toxic emotions, hormone imbalances, obesity, atherosclerosis and nutritional deficiencies/insufficiencies can all contribute to hypertension. A functional medicine approach to hypertension looks at all these areas as potential causes. With proper testing and treatment it’s very possible to resolve hypertension naturally without drugs!
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