Abstract
BackgroundLysine is one of the essential amino acids and in cereal based diets it is known to be the most limiting and therefore determines the quality of dietary protein in such diets. This study investigated the effect of lysine supplementation on blood pressure of hypertensive adults in selected peri-urban community in Accra, Ghana.MethodsThe study was a randomized double-blind controlled study made up of adults men and women assigned to a lysine supplemented group and a placebo-supplemented (control) group. The subjects aged between 18 – 45 years and totaling 180.ResultsTotal of 50 (28%) of the participating were hypertensive defined as Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg. The mean SBP of lysine-supplemented group significantly dropped from 146.11 ± 11.92 to 128.95 ± 10.44 mmHg (p = 0.02). That of women also dropped from 144.12 ± 10.41 to 132.28 ± 10.69 mmHg, (p = 0.06 while the control group had there SBP remained fairly constant after 112 days of intervention with changes in men from 145.79 ± 12.56 to 142.79 ± 11.07 mmHg (p = 0.32) and women in the control had very little drop from 145.15 ± 14.79 to 145.00 ± 17.93 mmHg (p = 0.96).ConclusionLysine supplementation resulted in normalization/reduction of blood pressure of hypertensive subjects who have suboptimal lysine intake.
Highlights
Lysine is one of the essential amino acids and in cereal based diets it is known to be the most limiting and determines the quality of dietary protein in such diets
Dietary intakes among the study groups Examining the differences in habitual dietary intakes by treatment type showed that there was no differences in energy, total and utilizable protein, and lysine among all the groups
Adding of 1000 mg lysine accounted for 0.19 g of N which accounted for 2.3% in men, 2.7% in women based on their habitual intake (Table 3)
Summary
Lysine is one of the essential amino acids and in cereal based diets it is known to be the most limiting and determines the quality of dietary protein in such diets. There are about nine essential amino acids of which lysine is the most limiting, especially in cereal based foods and affects the dietary protein quality. Studies have shown that dietary inadequacy of lysine leads to nonspecific indications of protein deficiency such as low resistance to disease, stress [1, 2]. The risk of lysine inadequacy is mostly found in regions where low socioeconomic groups depend on traditional roots, tubers and cereals for their protein supply [1, 2]. But the richest sources include red meats, fish, brewer’s yeast, and dairy products.
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