Effects of 12-Week Supplementation of a Polyherbal Formulation in Old Adults with Prehypertension/Hypertension: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Uncontrolled blood pressure is the leading cause of mortality and disability due to associated cerebral and cardiovascular diseases and kidney failure. More than one-third of the old adult population have hypertension or prehypertension and many of their blood pressure are poorly controlled. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that plant extracts-based antioxidants may benefit those with prehypertension/hypertension. METHOD: One hundred age- and gender-matched healthy older adults were randomly assigned to receive HyperBalance capsules (n=50) or placebo (n=50) at Tang-Qiao Community Health Service Center, Shanghai. Blood pressure and severity scores of hypertension treatment-related symptoms (dizziness, headache, ringing/buzzing in ears, rapid heart rate, and chest tightness) were evaluated before and after the 12-week intervention. RESULTS: Ninety-eight people completed the study, with 2 dropouts in the placebo group before the end of the study. Forty-one subjects (82%) of the HyperBalance group and 40 subjects (83.3%) of the placebo group had prehypertension (systolic blood pressures (SBP) between 130-139 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 85-89mmHg), and 9 subjects (18%) in the HyperBalance group and 8 subjects (16.7%) in the placebo group had hypertension (≥140/90mmHg) before the intervention. HyperBalance significantly (P<0.01) reduced SBP from 136.18±4.38 to 124.14±3.96 mmHg and reduced DBP from 82.45±2.91 to 80.24±2.41mmHg, respectively, and reversed all 9 hypertension people to normotension or prehypertension state, whereas the placebo moderately reduced SBP from 135.79±4.22 to 132.35±4.656mmHg and reduced DBP from 82.90±3.07 to 82.27±3.01mmHg. All symptom severity scores became significantly lower in the HyperBalance group than in the placebo group after HyperBalance intervention: dizziness (0.82±0.44; vs 2.02±0.64, P<0.01); headache (0.46±0.50; vs 1.81±0.61, P<0.01); ringing/buzzing in ears (0.44±0.50; vs 1.04±0.29, P<0.01); and rapid heart rate and chest tightness (0.30±0.46; vs 0.92±0.28, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Polyherbal supplementation such as HyperBalance could benefit old adults with prehypertension/hypertension and improve treatment-related symptoms. Further studies are needed to validate the current findings.