After getting married, and moving across the country my weight had crept up to a high around 230. But after starting karate classes, it came down to around 210. Starting about 10 years ago when I was in my mid 30′s, I was diagnosed with elevated blood pressure. It was just a little high. My doctor has been monitoring it ever since, and has prescribed a low dose of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) and for a while Lisinipril as well.
I made a conscious effort to lower my weight further, and got it down into the 180s. He had me come off the meds. But my blood pressure was still high. So I was put back on the HCTZ. So here I was being very active, and having lowered my weight significantly, and my blood pressure was still up there.
In mid-2006 I started running. I ran a couple marathons and ran up to 50 miles a week. My weight dropped further into the 170′s and even into the 160s. Surely this would have lowered my blood pressure? Well it didn’t seem to have much effect. The doctor explained that my blood pressure was probably more genetic that related to my life style.
Yesterday I had my twice a year check up. The nurse measured my blood pressure at 122/76. The doctor came in a bit later and messured it again at 117/76. Basically very good numbers. They also measured my HR at 48. My weight yesterday was around 168. The doctor is going to have me stop taking the HCTZ again and come back in a month to see in my blood pressure is still down.
I think my more intense training is having a beneficial effect. In my early marathon training, I mostly did long easy runs, trying to stay in my aerobic zones. My more recent training has involve more speedwork. I run intervals on Mondays, tempo runs on Wednesdays, and long runs of Saturdays. The intervals and tempo runs really get my heart rate up and hold it there for a chunk of time. For example, I ran a 5k as part of my tempo run last night at a 6:45 pace (finished in 20:55 for a new 5k PR). My HR started off around 166, and slowly climbed. By the end it was up to around 183, and I was breathing very hard. My max heart rate is around 194-196. But I think these intense training runs have helped to lower my blood pressure.
It will be interesting to see if my blood pressure stays down without the meds. I have my own blood pressure measuring device at home, so I can monitor it.
Wow that’s great Rob! I’m also on Lisinopril, but am run very actively but still have high BP. I’m not sure why. I’ve had my kidneys checked, my heart checked, done blood and urine samples, and all comes back normal. My resting BP is usually around 125-135 over 68-80, depending on my stress. I’m curious if running hard is not good for your body? I’m curious, if high BP is “bad” for you, and hard on your body, than why is running (or working out at all) good for you? Don’t you thnk your BP while running is like 200/100?
I run competitively and my PR is 16:01 – almost to breaking the mark. I’m 24, male, and have had high BP for about a year. No genetic history.
Comment by Colin — May 2, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Hi Colin, well it didn’t last. After coming off the HCTZ, my blood pressure went back up again. Oh well. I am back on the HCTZ and am guessing that I am stuck with it.
16:01! Wow! That is blazing fast! I wonder what I could have done when I was young. I old now at 44.
I am pretty sure that running is good for you. It expands the arteries, and adds more capilaries and all that. It lowers blood pressure.
Comment by Rob — May 2, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
High Blood Pressure is something I deal with as well even though I exercise & watch what I eat. I am 32 years old & I even have mitral valve prolapse so heart health is something I truly have to be concerned with.
I also found an all natural juice that works wonders & has been keeping my blood pressure consistently at 117/75. It called Le’Vive & it has 5 of the most powerful fruits (Acai, Pomegranate, Noni, Mangosteen, Goji) & IT TASTE GREAT!!! It is packed full of antioxidants & vitamins & has a total of 25 health benefits include helping to maintain healthy blood pressure levels & blood circulation.
You can learn more & buy it here…www.healthy8shape.com
Comment by Ardyss Shanna — September 9, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
I agree with you Rob. There is something about intense exercise that’s good for blood pressure.
I jogged aerobically for 3 weeks (4 miles a day) and my BP dropped about 10-20 points, but was still high around 125-130/85-95. I hit a plateau and it stayed like that.
And then I added sprinting to my workout. In less than a week it dropped down to 119/75. VERY good numbers.
My guess is that the faster you run, the more intense your arteries are stretching and pumping blood. The more flexible your arteries, the less they work.
Comment by david — November 9, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
I have high blood pressure too and now i am taking medicine to control my pressure. A healthy diet is very important for patients like us and of course, make time for exercising. Eat more fruits in your diet ( mostly food that contain potassium). All the best and take care.
Comment by Lookhealthy — December 12, 2009 @ 8:49 am
I am reading the comments about BP going up after coming off the medication.
Please remember that BP meds are geared towards a ‘rebound’ action so you need to come off them very slowly otherwise it has a kind of reverse effect.
Comment by kalyn — December 29, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
I too have HBP. I’m currently taking Benicar, but it is still high, avg 145/95. I run 25+ miles per week. I was told to stay away diuretics as a runner, but I believe I need the diuretic along with the Benicar. Won’t the diuretic deplete my potassium and then I would have to take potassium supplements? Please advise. Thank you.
Comment by Jerry — January 17, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
I have same situation as Jerry. I take a calcium blocker and lisinopril and still cant get below 140/70!!!
have run up to 40 mile weeks and BP is great after the run but can be the pits before? Granted I’m 60 but have been working on BP for years. Yes genes can be taken inot account but hopfully there is still something we can do……..
Comment by steve — January 19, 2010 @ 4:14 pm
I just started taking bystolic 10mg. I am training for IMwis 2010. My HR is 60 my BP is 145/90… how long does it take to be able to get HR @70% for a work out..? it seems forever 45 minutes while on Bike…
Comment by mike — February 5, 2010 @ 3:33 pm
Ok, so I started someone on an exercise program. We exercised last night (3/6/2010). They told me that they have high blood pressure and all about the associated effects and meds. I told them, based on my experience, the BEST way to lower pressure naturally is to sprint, so we did. Next morning (3/7/2010) she told me that the pressure was still in the high 140+ and was a bit disappointed. So I said let me do some research on this claim I made. And this is where I ended up.
For all you folks doing the marathon thingy, you need to mix it up. Put in sprinting in your running (a mix up) and this will get the heart really going and will get the pumper stronger and get the pressure down. Oh, if you don’t feel out of breath, then you will not benefit – unfortunately when marathoning, going out of breath is not an option, you won’t win, so I will say too that mathroning is the opposite approach to sprinting. But the sprinting will lower your pressure.
Cheers!
Comment by Colin B Maharaj — March 7, 2010 @ 9:19 am
I have read with interest. I have an average BP of around 140/145 over 80/85 and this is measured over a full 24 hour period. it is therefore too high. I have been on various meds for over 3 years and the BP remains high. I have no problems with my kidney, my heart resting rate has always been low (low 40′s) even before the meds. there is nothing wrong with my glands (which can sometimes secrete excess adrenaline and cause high BP), and at this time the cause is down to genetics. I don;t drink, smoke, my cholesterol is within normal limits. I am not overweight (11 1/2 st at 5’11″ tall). All in all it is a mystery! I exercise everyday and was managing sub 20 mins 5k runs and sub 7 minute miles for 3 miles and 8 plus in an hour. And then I took a different drug. Amlodopine. since taking the drug and withdrawing from the drug I have completely lost my exercise tolerance. I can barely run 20 minutes at the pace I was running 5 – 8 miles in. I have very little stamina and I can’t seem to get it back. Anyone else experience this fatigue from drugs even when stopped taking them?
Comment by John — April 20, 2010 @ 4:04 pm
I am 40. I too have got severe high blood pressure for the last year. I am taking three meds plus one for side effect. I get annoyed by people assuming that I’m eating salt or taking viagra, or bad diet. The only thing that I can see that may have cause high blood pressure was when I stopped running for a year. I am running again and see a big difference. Only time will tell. Will have to try the sprinting too.
Comment by Sunny — April 25, 2010 @ 11:09 am
Running at 9km/hr continously helps reduce the diastolic pressure,which is very important.
Comment by lingam — December 28, 2010 @ 3:24 am
Running at 9km/hr continously for 20 mins 4 days a week helps reduce the diastolic pressure,which is very important.
Comment by lingam — December 28, 2010 @ 3:25 am
I would like to make a few comments on running, as i have been running since i was 18 now 60.
My training was varied from mountain running and interval training..My resting heart beat was 42.
I had a heart attack at 58, after previous heart checks failed to pick up 3 blockages, heart disease in the main coronary 60% 40% and 30% blockages.
Fitness is measured by how quickly the heart returns to normal, I was considered super fit. So it just goes to prove a point, that all the fitness in the world will not stop a heart attack.
The ECG is very unreliable as there are to many variables involved for it to be used safely. I say safely because in my case it should normal in every aspect of the word. The only sure way of knowing if you have a heart problem is the MRI scan, which photographs in slices and can pick up the heart disease with fat and calcium build up in the arteries.
I recall after some runs in my late 30′s a nice little flutter in my heart, it was a nice feeling, though as i said all checks showed nothing at all. I had 3 complete heart checks, with treadmills from my late 30′s until i was 58 and just 2 months after the last one I had heart attack.
Lucky for me that i knew it was happening and made it to the emergancy within 10 minutes which reduced cell damage to the heart. Even today, the ECG shows me has almost normal and nothing to worry about, and that is after the heart attack. Do not trust ECG.
I only lost 4% of my blood flow, sounds very little, but it has resulted in lack of energy, and speed that is a significant loss.
I’m doing 10k in 1hr and 9 minutes now, compared to 11k in 1 HR at 60 years of age. Though now i am not running none stop, i can only run short distance 100 mtr and I have to walk fast 100 and run.
Though the heart medication is a big boost, vastarel! Without it I have difficulty getting under 1.hr 16 minutes for 10K.
My main reason for posting is to say, you may feel super fit, even with heart disease which isn’t being monitored…So demand MRI scan and save your time and money on ECG’s
Comment by drinkingvinegar — January 4, 2011 @ 12:46 pm
One more thing, hepatitis C is spreading faster than any other virus in the world, back in 1987 170 million were infected, WHO is in the process of updating, the last facts I had was 300 million people had it. I am expecting over 500 million in the next update. This will attack your liver and effect your blood pressure, you will have no recognisable symptoms, as it is like a mild flue, as it gradually destroys your liver. Take notice and have a HCV C test, it is not checked for on a normal health screening test. Your arteries maybe good, but your liver tissue damaged, making the blood pressure very high. It will show up as fatty liver on the ultra scan it ends with liver cancer in 4 stages.
Comment by drinkingvinegar — January 4, 2011 @ 12:52 pm
Hi from Hong Kong, celery juice (can add apple) will help HBP tremendously, overdose would cause drowsiness(more than 6 glasses of 8 oz a day), I chickened from Marathon Race this year due to HBP. We have two runners died abruptly and both exercised a lot. They have learned too much is too little the hard way.
Comment by carrie — February 9, 2011 @ 7:00 am
I have a question I went to the doctors yesterday and my blood pressure was 140 over 87 how bad is that because all they told me was come back everyday for 2 weeks
Comment by curtis — March 4, 2011 @ 2:18 am
Well I alos have highblood pressure but i have ran out of my medication and have been off of it for several months now due to a medical insurance problem, i will not get to refill my medication until my insurance kicks in in a few months and i have been riding my bycicle almost every day for about a mile and a half and i walk two miles everyday. Now the problem is is that when riding my bike for not even three minutes my breathing gets really hard and i get tired very easily. My cardiologist had me run a stress test to see how long it took before my bp rose and the results were horrifying, barely two minutes after a slow jog at a slight incline my bp skyrocketed up to 210/100. They asked me if my chest hurt at all and i told them no and all that was the matter was that my breathing was very hard. They have done an EKG on me and found that my heart rate was normal, also they did an ultrasound on my heart and kidneys and everything was working perfectly, they checked my cholesterol it was fine, my blood sugar was outstanding, everything was perfectly fine they do not know what is causing it. Now after some research that i have done ive seen numerous times that high blood pressure can be cause by stress, and yes my life does have quite a bit of stress but i try to stay out of it as much as possible but i guess im not trying hard enough so if anyone has any clue to why my bp could be so high let me know and i will do anything to lower my blood pressure. the healthy way of course.
Comment by Kelsi — May 17, 2011 @ 4:27 pm
I am male aged 72 and extremely fit. with medication my Bp is 118/66 and varies from 120/62.
as a former marathon runner I am now unable to run short distances without stopping.
My medication is lisinpril and loszaten.
Despite this inability to run I can do low aerobic work for a considerable time including bag punching, rowing and cycling in gym as well as weights.
I am frustrated that i am unable to run even short distances at a decent pace.
My GP
feels that my blood pressure is under control but won’t take me off medication.
Is this a psycho;ogical thing or is it part of the aging process.
Any comments would be welcome
Comment by Alex B — May 18, 2011 @ 2:01 pm
Former marathon runner on lisinipril and Lozarten. My age is 72 with a low heart rate of 56/58. BP is ok 118/ 64 approx Although I train in gym for an hour doing rowing, cycling and weight training i am breathless after a short time while running. Can’t understand why. I realise that there are side effects with medication
Comment by Alex B — May 19, 2011 @ 2:02 pm
Just started taking Bystolic 5mg for BP. What if any affects will there be on my running?
Comment by pat — March 13, 2012 @ 7:24 pm