Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
If humans are like rats, those with high blood pressure
will live longer when they exercise, even if their blood pressures
do not return to normal. Rats can be bred to develop a genetic
trait in which they develop high blood pressure, but when they
exercise, they live much longer than the rats that do not exercise
(Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, May 2006).
Having high blood pressure can kill you. It increases your
chances of suffering a heart attack, stroke, or kidney disease.
Exercise usually lowers high blood pressure because high blood
pressure usually is determined by blood volume. Anything that
reduces blood volume also reduces high blood pressure. That’s
why diuretics are the most effective drugs to lower high blood
pressure. Exercising for a few minutes usually does not lower
high blood pressure, but exercising for several hours dehydrates
you and usually does lower high blood pressure. This study
shows that even if exercise does not lower high blood pressure in
rats, it still helps them to live longer, and the same may apply to
you. More
June 15, 2006