613 | id == 613
613 | category_id == 96
613 | category_order == 29
613 | category_name == Blood Pressure
613 | category_color == #C47AC0
613 | slug == APOE-blood-pressure
613 | title == A Gene Essential for Blood Fat Removal & Its Impact on Blood Pressure (APOE)
613 | meta_description == APOE helps remove blood fats. Variants of APOE have been associated with high blood pressure. Read more here.
613 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>APOE </em>gene codes for a protein that helps clear fats from the blood. Read more to find out how variants of <em>APOE </em>may work together to modulate the risk of high blood pressure.</strong></p>
613 | overall_score_text == Your Blood Pressure Score (based on APOE gene)
613 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/APOE-Blood-Pressure.jpg
613 | author_id == 14
613 | author_name == Shany Lahan
613 | author_title == MS (Neuroscience)
613 | author_order == 5
613 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Shany.webp
613 | author_intro == <p>Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.</p>    <p>Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode&nbsp;with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing &ndash; as well as help them understand the science behind it all.</p>
613 | reviewer == None
613 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
613 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
613 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
613 | publish_date == 2021
613 | publish_date == 1
613 | publish_date == 21
613 | avg_rating == 5.0
613 | tags_id == 154
613 | tags_name == APOE Gene
613 | tags_id == 1163
613 | tags_name == Apolipoprotein E
613 | tags_id == 138
613 | tags_name == Atherosclerosis
613 | tags_id == 172
613 | tags_name == Blood Pressure
613 | tags_id == 152
613 | tags_name == Cholesterol
613 | tags_id == 1139
613 | tags_name == High Blood Pressure
613 | tags_id == 335
613 | tags_name == Hypertension
613 | tags_id == 218
613 | tags_name == Triglycerides
613 | permissions_favorite == False
613 | permissions_rate == False
613 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> codes for a protein that helps remove cholesterol and triglycerides from the blood. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">may play a role in high blood pressure by lowering the efficacy of apoE, promoting fatty deposits within blood vessels (atherosclerosis), and restricting blood flow. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by promoting apoE activity, lowering cholesterol, and preventing atherosclerosis progression.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>APOE</em></strong><strong> and Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/apoe/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene codes for apolipoprotein E (apoE), a protein that helps remove fats such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/triglycerides/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">triglycerides</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from the blood [</span><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/apoe/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/snp/rs429358/"><strong>rs429358</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/snp/rs7412/"><strong>rs7412</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">are two SNPs involved in generating three major alleles that form functionally similar apoE proteins (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">isoforms</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">). These three isoforms differ in their ability to clear circulating fats [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12614323"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><strong>apoE3</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> isoform (encoded by the e3 allele) is produced from a &lsquo;T&rsquo; at rs429358 and a &lsquo;C&rsquo; at rs7412, and is </span><strong>effective </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">at clearing fats.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><strong>apoE2</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> isoform (encoded by the e2 allele) is produced from a &lsquo;T&rsquo; at both rs429358 and rs7412, and is </span><strong>more effective</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than apoE3 at clearing fats.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><strong>apoE4 </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">isoform (encoded by the e4 allele) is produced from a &lsquo;C&rsquo; at both rs429358 and rs7412, and is </span><strong>less effective</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than apoE2 and apoE3 at clearing fats.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with one or more apoE2 isoforms tend to have lower blood triglycerides and cholesterol, while those with one or more apoE4 isoforms tend to have higher blood triglycerides and cholesterol [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210928"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without their effective removal, fats can accumulate in the blood and form hard deposits within arteries (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">atherosclerosis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">). These deposits cause arteries to become narrowed, thereby constricting blood flow. As a result, the heart needs to work harder to maintain blood flow, and blood pressure rises [</span><a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11918-cholesterol-high-cholesterol-diseases"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unsurprisingly, variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have been associated with high blood pressure (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">hypertension</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">). These variants may reduce the efficacy of apoE, leading to higher blood fat levels and restricted blood flow [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0303-9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>APOE</em></strong><strong> Results for Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*7809512675765282*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Primary SNPs</strong></span><strong>:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>APOE </em></strong><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/snp/rs429358/"><strong>rs429358</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Higher odds of high blood pressure</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Not associated with high blood pressure</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>APOE </em></strong><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/snp/rs7412/"><strong>rs7412</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0303-9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Higher odds of high blood pressure, relative to &lsquo;T&rsquo;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Lower odds of high blood pressure, relative to &lsquo;C&rsquo;</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Potential Isoform Genotypes</strong></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12614323"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>e4</strong></span> /<span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong> e</strong><strong>4</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>CC</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>CC</strong></span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>e3</strong></span> /<span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong> e</strong><strong>4</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>C</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>C</strong></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>C</strong></span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>e2</strong></span> /<span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong> e</strong><strong>4</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>C</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>C</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>e3</strong></span> /<span style="color: #000000;"><strong> e</strong><strong>3</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>TT</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>CC</strong></span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>e2</strong></span> /<span style="color: #000000;"><strong> e</strong><strong>3</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>T</strong></span><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>C</strong></span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>e2</strong></span> /<span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong> e</strong><strong>2</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: rs429358-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>TT</strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and rs7412-</span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>TT</strong></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*1192524460077026*</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Recommendations for Lowering Blood Pressure</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*8618496041743089*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Exercise</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Multiple studies show that </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> training may lower blood pressure, both in the first few hours after exercise and in the long term. Exercise guidelines often recommend aerobic exercise most days of the week (at least 150 min/week of moderate activity or 75 min/week of vigorous activity) supplemented with dynamic resistance exercise twice weekly [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27512052/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A meta-analysis of 51 studies found that aerobic exercises such as jogging, running, and biking increased &ldquo;good&rdquo; cholesterol (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hdl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">HDL-cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) levels by 4.6% and decreased &ldquo;bad&rdquo; cholesterol (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ldl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LDL-cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) by 5%. This suggests that exercise may lower the risk of atherosclerosis in individuals with apoE4 isoforms (i.e., in those that can&rsquo;t effectively clear cholesterol) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11427777"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indeed, in mice lacking apoE (comparable to the ineffective apoE4 isoform), exercise prevented the development of atherosclerosis, suggesting that it may also lower blood pressure. One study found that exercise may be particularly beneficial for lowering blood pressure in hypertensive individuals carrying apoE3 or apoE4 isoforms [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17587726/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10406818/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meta-analyses estimated blood pressure reductions of 12.26 mmHg (systolic) and 6.12 mmHg (diastolic) from aerobic exercise. The combination of moderate- with high-intensity aerobic exercise (interval training) further enhanced the blood pressure-lowering effects of exercise training [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5369884/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31169988/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32401846/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As for resistance training, a single bout lowered blood pressure by up to 8.2 mmHg (systolic) and 4.1 mmHg (diastolic) within the first hours after exercise, while continuous resistance training lowered it by 4-5 mmHg (systolic) and 1.7-5 (diastolic). However, resistance training should be used with caution because it increases blood pressure during exercise [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27512052/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28769100/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26467494/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30086274/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise modalities such as aquatic exercise, stretching, brisk walking, and tai chi have all been proven effective at lowering blood pressure [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28914562/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7460052/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17275896/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32338292/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In all cases, exercise was more effective in hypertensive people than in those with normal blood pressure values.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Exercise may help lower blood pressure by reducing cholesterol and preventing atherosclerosis progression -- particularly in those carrying <em>APOE </em>risk variants.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mediterranean Diet</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mediterranean diets are well-known to help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart diseases such as atherosclerosis [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10395991"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625964/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29244059"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471908/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A meta-analysis of 30 clinical trials found that adherence to a Mediterranean diet helps prevent heart disease by lowering systolic (by ~3 mmHg) and diastolic (by ~2 mmHg) blood pressure in people with normal values. In those with hypertension, this diet lowered systolic blood pressure by 1.44 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.7 mmHg [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6414510/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26483006/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When compared to other diets, the Mediterranean diet is especially effective at lowering diastolic blood pressure. A meta-analysis found it only effective for this purpose, while another one ranked it third in terms of diastolic pressure-lowering effect (after the DASH and Paleolithic diets) [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26902492/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29718689/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>Extra-Virgin Olive Oil</em></strong></h5> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A major component of Mediterranean diets is </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oleocanthal</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a compound found in extra-virgin olive oil, may promote apoE activity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713200/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several meta-analyses found that extra-virgin olive oil in particular may lower systolic but not diastolic blood pressure. The antioxidant polyphenols in extra-virgin olive oil may reduce oxidative damage to the blood vessels and enhance the production of the blood vessel-widening molecule nitric oxide [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26055128/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29708409/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31378629/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a small study of people with high blood pressure, a diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil reduced the need for blood pressure-lowering medication [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10737284/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>Fatty Fish/Omega-3</em></strong></h5> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish are also major Mediterranean diet components. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herrings, and sardines are rich in </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">omega-3 fatty acids</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study, atherosclerosis-related dysfunction was reduced in mice lacking apoE (comparable to the ineffective apoE4 isoform) that were supplemented with omega-3-rich fish oil [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24775220/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">High blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were associated with a reduced incidence of elevated blood pressure events in a meta-analysis of 8 observational studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728669/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meta-analyses show that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil (EPA + DHA) significantly reduces both systolic (by 2.5-5.5 mmHg) and diastolic (by 1.5-3.5 mmHg) blood pressure, as well as the levels of the inflammatory marker </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/c-reactive-protein/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CRP</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (by ~0.5 mg/L). The effects are more pronounced in people with moderate, untreated hypertension [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4054797/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29993265/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">A Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil and fatty fish (omega-3s) may lower blood pressure by promoting apoE activity, lowering cholesterol, and preventing atherosclerosis progression.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Melatonin</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studies have shown that </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/melatonin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">melatonin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may increase apoE production and prevent atherosclerosis progression, suggesting that it may also lower blood pressure in individuals carrying </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">risk variants [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29024030/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30254716/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32513932/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A meta-analysis of 7 studies involving people with nocturnal hypertension found that supplementation with controlled-release (but not fast-release) melatonin lowered systolic (by 6.1 mmHg) and diastolic (by 3.5 mmHg) blood pressure. Another meta-analysis of 8 studies and 743 people with metabolic disorders also found melatonin effective at lowering blood pressure&nbsp; [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3180511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30647466/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, blood pressure has </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/what-it-means-to-keep-to-a-circadian-rhythm/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">circadian</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> rhythmicity. It increases in the morning and decreases at night. Melatonin shows the opposite pattern, indicating that it may have a role in lowering blood pressure at night</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">In line with this, activation of the melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 widens the blood vessels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4227197/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Melatonin may lower blood pressure by increasing apoE production and preventing atherosclerosis progression.</span></p>
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613 | content_learn_more_1192524460077026_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your APOE gene is associated with relatively lower odds of high blood pressure. However, other genes and health factors may still contribute to your risk.
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rsIDs = rs429358,rs7412
rsStatus = rs429358,APOE,chr19,44908684,T,C,,,22,13,HET
rsStatus = rs7412,APOE,chr19,44908822,C,T,,,30,0,Normal
