Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 23, 2026 1 hour, 31 minutes ago
Medical News: In a world where hypertension remains one of the biggest drivers of heart disease, new evidence suggests that natural plant-based supplements combined with strategic exercise routines may offer a powerful and accessible way to control rising blood pressure. This
Medical News report draws on an extensive evidence-based review conducted by researchers from Transilvania University of Brașov (Romania), Klaipedos Valstybine Kolegija (Lithuania) and an Independent Research Institute in Iran, who analyzed 31 human clinical studies involving beetroot juice, green tea, curcumin, resveratrol and garlic. Their goal was to understand how these plant compounds, alone or paired with exercise training, influence blood pressure and vascular health.
Natural plant compounds paired with exercise significantly improve blood pressure control through
multiple vascular-support pathways.
How Plant Compounds Improve Vascular Function
The researchers found that these natural supplements work on several biological pathways that directly influence how blood vessels relax, how efficiently blood flows and how the body manages inflammation and oxidative stress. Beetroot juice, rich in natural nitrates, was shown to enhance nitric oxide—an essential molecule that widens blood vessels and reduces resistance. Green tea and curcumin were found to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while supporting nitric oxide production. Garlic produced dual benefits by increasing both nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, another gas that relaxes vascular tissues. Resveratrol supported mitochondrial efficiency and activated key cellular pathways linked to healthier vascular function.
Why Exercise Enhances These Effects
Exercise alone is known to reduce blood pressure by stimulating nitric oxide release, improving artery elasticity and lowering chronic sympathetic stress. When plant-based supplements were added, especially in individuals with early or moderate vascular dysfunction such as pre-hypertension, obesity, metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, the combined effects often produced greater improvements in blood pressure than either intervention alone. Moderate-intensity aerobic training, such as brisk walking or stationary cycling, produced the most reliable results when paired with beetroot juice or curcumin. Resistance training paired with green tea extract also showed meaningful benefits in women with hypertension.
Key Findings Across the 31 Studies
The review identified beetroot juice as the most consistently effective supplement. Several trials showed reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure during and after aerobic exercise, along with improved nitric oxide levels.
Curcumin also enhanced exercise-related blood pressure reductions, especially in older adults and those with metabolic issues. Green tea’s effects varied depending on caffeine content and exercise type, but long-term use alongside structured training still improved resting blood pressure in several studies. Resveratrol offered modest vascular support, mainly when combined with re
gular aerobic training. Garlic supplementation reliably lowered blood pressure in overweight or hypertensive adults and improved arterial stiffness in active individuals.
Collectively, these results show that plant compounds and exercise act on shared regulatory pathways, improving endothelial function, lowering vascular resistance and supporting healthier long-term blood pressure patterns.
Conclusions
The researchers concluded that integrating plant-based supplements with routine exercise represents a safe and promising strategy for managing hypertension, particularly in people with early vascular changes who are not yet heavily medicated. While beetroot juice consistently showed the strongest outcomes, green tea, curcumin, resveratrol and garlic all demonstrated valuable supporting roles. The review emphasizes that future studies should determine optimal supplement dosages, ideal timing in relation to exercise, and the specific patient groups most likely to benefit. Overall, these findings point toward a personalized and accessible approach to blood pressure management that leverages both natural bioactives and structured physical activity.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nutrients.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/4/700
For the latest research on hypertension, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
Share
Tweet
Share
