The Highs and The Lows of Women’s Blood Pressure

For Blood Pressure Education Month, let’s dive into women’s heart health and dig deeper into effective ways of managing BP. From Aged Garlic Extract to healthy lifestyle choices, there are plenty of options to safely—and naturally—get your blood pressure in check.

High Blood Pressure in Women

High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood flowing against the arterial walls is consistently too high. This makes the heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. And that increases your risk of developing serious health problems, including stroke, heart disease, and other cardiovascular issues. To make matters worse, high blood pressure doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, even in severe cases, earning it the title of the “silent killer.”

Although more men (50 percent) have high blood pressure than women (44 percent),¹ it turns out that women may want to pay closer attention to their blood pressure (BP) numbers. Not only do women experience events that can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, such as pregnancy, taking birth control, and menopause.² Researchers at Cedars-Sinai found that women’s blood vessels, including both large and small arteries, age at a faster rate than those of men. That means that a 30-year-old woman with high blood pressure is probably more likely to develop cardiovascular issues than a male of the same age.³

Low Blood Pressure in Women

On the other hand, low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, happens when the blood pressure in your arteries is abnormally low. While low blood pressure can be normal and perfectly healthy for some women, a sudden drop in BP can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, blurred vision, and fatigue. It can also be a sign of a serious heart, endocrine, or neurological condition. Older women may be at particular risk as low diastolic blood pressure has been shown to be a risk marker for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, especially for those with comorbidities.⁴

Aged Garlic Extract for Blood Pressure Health

High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It’s also a risk factor you can do something about, and getting your BP under control is one of the best things you can do for your health. A safe and effective way to do that is with an Age Garlic Extract supplement.

A recent trial shows just how extensively Aged Garlic Extract benefits cardiovascular health. In patients with diagnosed hypertension, daily AGE consumption over 12 weeks reduced peripheral and central blood pressure. It also improved arterial stiffness, inflammation, and other cardiovascular markers in those with elevated blood pressure.⁵ What’s more A growing body of evidence shows that garlic doesn’t just work to lower blood pressure; it also reduces cholesterol, inhibits platelet aggregation, and increases antioxidant activity.⁶

For optimum heart benefit, choose an AGE supplement specifically designed to reduce blood pressure levels. With 400 mg of AGE, Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract Formula 109 can provide a powerful boost to your cardiovascular health. It also contains heart-friendly nutrients nattokinase and l-theanine, both of which have demonstrated blood pressure–reducing effects.^{7 8}

Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Blood Pressure

 Healthy habits play a big role managing high blood pressure.⁹ Here are some effective ways for women to maintain healthy blood pressure levels at any age.

Get moving. If you have hypertension, exercise is an effective way to reduce blood pressure.¹⁰ Shoot for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week to improve your BP numbers.

Eat a heart-smart diet. Try following a diet specifically geared to lower blood pressure. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can significantly reduce blood pressure, whether you have hypertension or not.¹¹ The diet includes foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium—nutrients that help control BP—while limitings foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars—well-known nemeses of cardiovascular health.

Try to lose weight. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that women are more susceptible to weight-related arterial stiffening and a rise in blood pressure.¹² However, losing weight can have a positive impact on blood pressure. Dropping just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can have huge benefits on  systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels.¹³

Stress less. Managing stress is an important part of maintaining healthy blood pressure.¹⁴ Strive to keep stress at a minimum with meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or with a counselor or support group.

Quit smoking. Smoking causes your blood pressure to spike and your arteries to stiffen.¹⁵ Quitting, however, can significantly improve central blood pressure and arterial stiffness.¹⁶

Getting a handle on high blood pressure is essential for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. By adding an Aged Garlic Extract supplement to your daily routine and making healthy lifestyle choices, you’ll be able to keep hypertension at bay—not only this Blood Pressure Month but all year long.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hypertension Cascade: Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment and Control Estimates Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Applying the Criteria from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2017 Hypertension Guideline—NHANES 2015–2018. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2021.
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10. Saco‐Ledo G. Exercise Reduces Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Patients With Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2020;9:e018487.
11. Filippou CD. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet and Blood Pressure Reduction in Adults with and without Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Advances in Nutrition. 2020;11(5):1150–60.
12. Zuo J. Female Gender Is Associated with Higher Susceptibility of Weight Induced Arterial Stiffening and Rise in Blood Pressure. Journal of Clinical Medicine [Internet]. 2021;10(16):3479.
13. Ryan DH. Weight Loss and Improvement in Comorbidity: Differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and Over. Current Obesity Reports.2017; 6(2):187–94.
14. Gasperin D. Effect of psychological stress on blood pressure increase: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Cadernos de Saude Publica. 2009;25(4):715–26.
15. Al-Safi SA. Does Smoking Affect Blood Pressure and Heart Rate? European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 2005;4(4):286–9.
16. Takami T. Effects of smoking cessation on central blood pressure and arterial stiffness. Vascular Health and Risk Management. 2011;7:633–8.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.