{"id":452468,"date":"2025-06-05T13:23:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T13:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/health.theemtspot.com\/?p=452468"},"modified":"2026-04-11T19:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T19:52:39","slug":"mediterranean-or-keto-study-finds-both-diets-improve-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/mediterranean-or-keto-study-finds-both-diets-improve-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediterranean or Keto? Study Finds Both Diets Improve Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A new clinical investigation published in <em>Nutrients<\/em> has confirmed that both the <strong>Mediterranean diet<\/strong> and a <strong>low-calorie ketogenic diet (KD)<\/strong> can significantly reduce blood pressure and support weight loss in individuals with elevated cardiovascular risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings suggest that dietary modification remains a <strong>powerful, non-pharmacological tool<\/strong> in the management of <strong>early-stage hypertension and obesity-related cardiovascular disorders<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, titled <strong>\u201cThe Keto\u2013Salt Pilot Study,\u201d<\/strong> directly compared the metabolic and cardiovascular effects of two popular diets in a group of overweight or obese patients diagnosed with <strong>high-normal blood pressure or grade 1 hypertension<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-larger-font-size\">Key Study Highlights<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Both diets led to <strong>significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Participants on the ketogenic diet lost more weight on average, but both groups showed <strong>improved body composition<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Mediterranean diet group demonstrated <strong>more frequent nocturnal blood pressure dipping<\/strong>, an important cardiovascular health marker.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No adverse kidney or inflammatory responses were observed in either group.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both diets were well-tolerated and deemed safe for short-term use under clinical supervision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-1\">Background: Why Diet Plays a Central Role in Blood Pressure Control<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to WHO data, more than <strong>2.5 billion people worldwide<\/strong> are overweight, and about <strong>1 billion<\/strong> live with obesity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This global health burden is strongly tied to elevated risks of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Hypertension<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type 2 diabetes<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dyslipidemia<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cardiovascular disease (CVD)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Weight loss has been clinically shown to lower blood pressure, with evidence suggesting that a <strong>5 kg weight reduction<\/strong> can lower systolic pressure by <strong>4.4 mmHg<\/strong> and diastolic pressure by <strong>3.6 mmHg<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal of the current study was to evaluate <strong>which dietary protocol\u2014Mediterranean or ketogenic\u2014offers better outcomes for hypertensive patients<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read also:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/blood-pressure\/diet\/\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-2\">Diet For High Blood Pressure<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-1\">Study Design and Population<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The prospective pilot trial included <strong>26 non-diabetic adults<\/strong>, each with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A BMI \u2265 27 kg\/m\u00b2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Abdominal obesity (central fat accumulation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High-normal BP (\u2265130\/85 mmHg) or grade 1 hypertension (140\u2013160\/90\u2013100 mmHg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Participants were randomized into two groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>15 subjects followed a low-calorie, high-protein ketogenic diet<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>11 subjects adopted a Mediterranean diet focused on low sodium and high potassium intake<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The intervention lasted three months and was monitored through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Standard bloodwork and safety labs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-1\">Results: Blood Pressure and Body Composition Improvements in Both Groups<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Both diet groups experienced <strong>statistically significant reductions<\/strong> in weight and blood pressure. Here&#8217;s how the changes compared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Outcome<\/th><th>Ketogenic Diet Group<\/th><th>Mediterranean Diet Group<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Baseline weight<\/td><td>98.6 kg<\/td><td>93.8 kg<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Final weight<\/td><td>87.3 kg<\/td><td>86.0 kg<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mean systolic BP drop<\/td><td>9 mmHg<\/td><td>9 mmHg<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mean diastolic BP drop<\/td><td>~5.3 mmHg<\/td><td>~5.3 mmHg<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Nocturnal BP dipping<\/td><td>Less frequent<\/td><td>More frequent<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-1\">Interpretation: Metabolic Gains Are Comparable, Cardiovascular Markers Differ<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While both diets achieved comparable blood pressure reductions, the <strong>Mediterranean diet showed advantages in nighttime BP modulation<\/strong>, a subtle but clinically meaningful marker linked to lower cardiovascular mortality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the <strong>ketogenic diet achieved more aggressive short-term weight loss<\/strong>, likely due to carbohydrate restriction and metabolic adaptation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Researchers emphasize that <strong>no inflammatory markers or signs of renal stress<\/strong> were found in either group, underscoring the <strong>short-term safety<\/strong> of both interventions under medical supervision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read also:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/impact-of-eating-or-not-eating-on-your-blood-pressure\/\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-2\">Impact Of Eating (or Not Eating) On Your Blood Pressure<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"rtex-highlighter-1\">Clinical Takeaway: Personalized Nutrition Still Reigns<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the study authors, both diets are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Effective in reducing hypertension markers<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Safe when properly guided by healthcare professionals<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Capable of improving metabolic profiles and body composition<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, long-term adherence, individual tolerance, and underlying health risks must be considered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors call for <strong>larger-scale, long-term studies<\/strong> to confirm these outcomes and define <strong>diet-specific guidelines<\/strong> for hypertension management.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-container\"\r\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-container daexthefu-layout-side-by-side daexthefu-alignment-left\"\r\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-id=\"452468\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-feedback\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-text\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"daexthefu-title\">Was this helpful?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-yes daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-text\" data-value=\"1\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-button-text\">Yes<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-no daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-text\" data-value=\"0\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-button-text\">No<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-top-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label id=\"daexthefu-comment-label\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-label\"><\/label>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-text\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<textarea id=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplaceholder=\"Type your message\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmaxlength=\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t400\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"><\/textarea>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-submit daexthefu-button\">Submit<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-cancel daexthefu-button\">Cancel<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-successful-submission-text\">Thanks for your feedback!<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A 3-month clinical study reveals both diets lower blood pressure and improve metabolic markers in obese patients. See key differences in results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":452514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_helpful_status":1,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[736,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-452468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-blood-pressure"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=452468"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":538399,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452468\/revisions\/538399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/452514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theemtspot.com\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}