The effect of flax lignan complex supplementation and walking exercise on blood pressure of adults over 50 years old with prehypertension/stage I hypertension

Abstract

Abstract This thesis evaluated supplementation of flax lignan complex (FLC) and walking exercise on blood pressure in older adults with prehypertension or stage I hypertension. EXPERIMENT: This experiment assessed the effect of the flax lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) in a FLC and walking exercise on blood pressure in older adults with prehypertension or stage I hypertension. Whey protein was used as supplementary placebo and stretching exercise was used as exercise placebo. METHODS: Twenty-five participants aged 50 years or older were recruited and randomized to receive either FLC or whey protein, concurrently with walking exercise or stretching exercise. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure, body composition, and fasting serum blood glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and c-reactive protein were measured before and after 8 weeks of interventions. RESULTS: Unexpectedly, there were significant time x supplement interactions for TG and HDL, as well as cholesterol:HDL ratio, in favour of whey protein. There were significant time x exercise interactions for nighttime diastolic blood pressure and nighttime mean arterial blood pressure in favour of stretching exercise. CONCLUSION: Eight weeks of SDG supplementation or walking exercise did not show any significant effect on blood pressure, serum glucose or serum lipid profile. Rather, whey protein and stretching exercise showed positive effects on cholesterol profile and nighttime ambulatory blood pressure, respectively.