Egg White May Help Lower Blood Pressure

Credit: www.girlmakesfood.com

Scientists in Jilin University, China have found a substance contained in egg whites that can reduce blood pressure, one of the main risk factors in heart disease.

Egg whites contain a peptide- a short fragment of protein- called RVPSL(Arg-Val-Pro-Ser-Leu). After feeding RVPSL to rats with high blood pressure, they found that the peptide reduced their symptoms without any side effects.

Presenting the findings at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, lead researcher Dr Zhipeng Yu says that the peptide has a powerful ability to inhibit or block the action of ACE, a substance produced in the body that raises blood pressure.

They now hope to carry out tests in human patients.

The peptide appeared to work in the same way as ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibitors commonly prescribed for hypertension; 50mg of the RVPSL peptide had the same effect on blood pressure as 10mg of Captopril.

So eating egg whites could be a useful way of to help patients keep their blood pressure down, particularly when used alongside medication.

Eggs have often been described as being bad for health due to their high cholesterol content, but recent research has suggested they are healthier than previously believed.

However, Dr Yu also warned that people with high blood pressure should consult their health care provider before making any changes to their diet.

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The above story is based on the April 9, 2013 news release by American Chemical Society (ACS).