 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A protein found in common garden peas could be the key to saving the lives of millions of people who suffer from high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.
In animal tests, proteins derived from yellow garden peas lowered the blood pressure in rats with kidney disease by 20 percent.
Text Continues Below
Canadian researchers said high blood pressure is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that affects about 13 percent of American adults, or about 26 million people. CKD is difficult to treat and may progress to end-stage kidney disease that requires kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.
This study is the first to show that a natural food product can relieve symptoms of CKD.
"In people with high blood pressure, our protein could potentially delay or prevent the onset of kidney disease," study author Rotimi Aluko, Ph.D., a food chemist at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada was quoted as saying. "In people who already have kidney disease, our protein may help them maintain normal blood pressure levels so they can live longer."
The scientists caution that eating peas in their natural state will not produce the same potential health benefits as the purified protein extract. But if planned human studies show similar results, the study's authors predict the extract could hit the consumer market within two or three years as a soluble powder or as a pill.
SOURCE: Study presented at the American Chemical Society's 237th National Meeting on March 22, 2009
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Melissa Medalie at mmedalie@ivanhoe.com
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
