(04-05-13) Dietary Protein and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review

Wieke Altorf – van der Kuil1,2*, Marie¨ lle F. Engberink1,2, Elizabeth J. Brink1,3, Marleen A. van Baak1,4,
Stephan J. L. Bakker1,5, Gerjan Navis1,5, Pieter van ’t Veer2, Johanna M. Geleijnse1,2
1 Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2 Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 3 HumanStudies Group, TNO Quality of Life, Zeist, The Netherlands, 4 Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Faculty of Health,Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 5 Kidney Center, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen,Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract
Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP), which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is highly prevalent
worldwide. Recently, interest has grown in the role of dietary protein in human BP. We performed a systematic review of all
published scientific literature on dietary protein, including protein from various sources, in relation to human BP.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We performed a MEDLINE search and a manual search to identify English language
studies on the association between protein and blood pressure, published before June 2010. A total of 46 papers met the
inclusion criteria. Most observational studies showed no association or an inverse association between total dietary protein
and BP or incident hypertension. Results of biomarker studies and randomized controlled trials indicated a beneficial effect
of protein on BP. This beneficial effect may be mainly driven by plant protein, according to results in observational studies.
Data on protein from specific sources (e.g. from fish, dairy, grain, soy, and nut) were scarce. There was some evidence that
BP in people with elevated BP and/or older age could be more sensitive to dietary protein.
Conclusions/Significance: In conclusion, evidence suggests a small beneficial effect of protein on BP, especially for plant
protein. A blood pressure lowering effect of protein may have important public health implications. However, this warrants
further investigation in randomized controlled trials. Furthermore, more data are needed on protein from specific sources in
relation to BP, and on the protein-BP relation in population subgroups.
Citation: Altorf – van der Kuil W, Engberink MF, Brink EJ, van Baak MA, Bakker SJL, et al. (2010) Dietary Protein and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review.

Source: PLoS
ONE 5(8): e12102. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012102

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