3 Ways Weight Loss Can Help You Control High Blood Pressure

Carrying extra weight is a primary risk factor for developing high blood pressure, contributing to nearly 75% of cases of primary hypertension. 

Vijaya Nama, MD, and her team in Mesquite, Texas, specialize in helping patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Doing so also helps in managing chronic conditions like high blood pressure. If you're overweight, losing even a small amount of weight can significantly improve your blood pressure numbers and overall health.

The benefits are enormous. Unmanaged, hypertension can lead to many health problems. including:

• Heart attack or stroke
• Heart failure
• Kidney problems
• Aneurysm
• Dementia
• Trouble with memory
• Metabolic syndrome

Losing weight is a key way to control your hypertension.

Reduce strain on your heart

Your heart works hard every day to pump blood to every part of your body. When you are overweight, your heart has to pump even harder to circulate blood effectively. This extra effort puts a significant strain on your artery walls, leading to an increase in blood pressure. 

Losing weight means your heart doesn't have to work as hard, which directly results in lower blood pressure. Studies show that for every kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight lost, blood pressure can be lowered by approximately 1 mmHg.

Decrease harmful hormones

Excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen, isn't just inactive tissue. It's an active organ that produces hormones and other substances that can negatively impact your health. 

Fat cells release hormones that activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which causes your body to retain sodium and water, constricts your blood vessels, and increases blood pressure. By losing weight, you reduce the number of these fat cells and decrease the level of these harmful hormones, allowing your blood pressure to return to a healthier range.

Improve kidney function

Your kidneys play a crucial role in regulating blood pressure by filtering waste and excess fluid from your blood. Excess fat, especially visceral fat that surrounds your internal organs, can physically compress the kidneys. This compression impairs their ability to function properly, leading to increased sodium and water retention and, consequently, higher blood pressure. Weight loss relieves this physical pressure on the kidneys, allowing them to function more efficiently and helping to lower your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure and are struggling with your weight, you don't have to manage it alone. To learn more about how our personalized weight loss programs can help you control your blood pressure, call Dr. Nama’s office or request an appointment online.