Naturally Occurring Bonito Peptides
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ACE inhibitors get their name from the fact that they inhibit the formation of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Why is this so important? Because angiotensin converting enzyme is essential in converting angiotensin to its activated form called angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor meaning that it causes the blood vessels to constrict making blood flow more difficult. The result is increased blood pressure.
Angiotensin II also causes thrombosis which is an aggregation of blood platelets. It is similar to clotting. The result is often an obstruction in the blood vessels.
Other effects of angiotensin II include:
- increased thirst sensation
- increased desire for salt
- increased aldosterone release (a steroid hormone that controls salt and water balance in the kidney)
Ace inhibitors are becoming a preferred treatment for hypertension because they are effective in improving heart function as well as increasing blood flow to the heart, liver and kidneys.
But ACE inhibitors do have their dark side. They can produce…
- dry cough
- dizziness
- light-headedness
- headache
- potassium buildup
- kidney problems
Peptides and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
A good bit of research has been done – and is being done – on the effects of certain peptides to inhibit the production of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE).
Peptides are naturally occurring compounds composed of two or more amino acids. Many studies have indicated that peptides can inhibit the production of ACE without the side-effects that often accompany ACE inhibiting drugs.
One such study was conducted on 63 subjects utilizing a vegetable drink containing a peptide from sardines. The subjects were divided into groups described as having …
- mild hypertension
- high-normal blood pressure
- normal blood pressure
Half of the subjects were randomly selected to be in the test group with the rest remaining in the control group.
Each person in the test group received the vegetable drink containing the fish peptide. The folks in the control group received the vegetable drink without the fish peptide.
During the first week of the test 40 subjects classified as having mild hypertension or high blood pressure experienced a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP). Specifically the average SBP dropped from 142.0 mmHg to 134.4 mmHg in just the first week. The rest of the 13 week test period continued to show improvement.
Average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) also fell among those in the test group from 88.0 mmHg to 83.5 after 13 weeks.
At the start of the test period average SBP was 140.8 mmHg and DBP was 90.5 among those in the control group – those not receiving the fish peptide. There was no change to either reading during the 13 week test period.
Further testing was conducted using 25 subjects for a period of 14 days. Each participant received 3 times the normal dosage of the vegetable drink including the fish peptides.
Significant decreases in blood pressure were observed among those with hypertension, mild hypertension and high-normal blood pressure. Those with normal blood pressure did not experience any change.
Nor were there any observable side-effects or excessive decline in blood pressure among any of the subjects.
You can read an abstract from this study by using the following link:
Antihypertensive effect and safety evaluation of vegetable drink with peptides.
Tests involving animals have shown similar results. A sample study was conducted by the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University of Tokyo. This time the test involved rats. They particularly studied two peptides (C111 and C112) which were derived from the liver and intestines of bonito – a fish in the tuna family.
In this study the researchers stated that "peptides … extracted from bonito… have been shown to inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme." Some of their concluding remarks were, "These results suggest that the peptides, C111 and C112, are orally effective ACE inhibitors with hypotensive effect."
Oral administration of peptides derived from bonito bowels decreases blood pressure.
Some studies have shown that peptides actually do more than inhibit ACE. Scientists at the Research Institute for Food Science, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, Japan suggest that peptides may also lower cholesterol.
Their thesis was that, "Many kinds of bioactive peptides which might prevent lifestyle-related diseases are released from food proteins after enzymatic digestion." This implies that ingesting peptides may help prevent the diseases that we cause by our lifestyle choices.
The researches first concluded that two peptides in their study showed 'antihypertensive effect after oral administration'. But they went on to say...
We found that low molecular weight peptides derived from food proteins lowered serum cholesterol without increasing excretion of cholesterol and bile acids.
Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins preventing lifestyle-related diseases.
Treatments with peptides for primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) have also been suggested. Primary pulmonary hypertension is a fatal disease resulting in right heart failure within a very few years of diagnosis.
Commonly PPH is treated with prostacyclin which has the effect of relaxing the blood vessels and inhibiting platelet aggregation (similar to clotting). However prostacyclin is unstable limiting its efficacy.
A study conducted at the University Of Vienna Medical School demonstrated positive results in treating PPH with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Each patient in the study was given daily inhalations of VIP for three months. The results included…
- mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 59 mmHg to 46 mmHg
- mean systematic arterial pressure decreased from 86 mmHg to 84 mmHg
- cardiac output increased from 4.7 l/min to 6.4 l/min
- pulmonary vascular resistance decreased approximately 50%
- oxygen saturation increased from 58% to 63%
These statistics may not be very meaningful to us but the conclusion of the study is.
The striking efficacy of VIP inhalation is stressed by both the significant increase of the mixed venous oxygen saturation and the increased exercise capacity in the 6-minute walk test. Considering the importance of these parameters for the prognosis of PPH … the inhalation of VIP may be used alone and/or in combination as an efficacious treatment of PPH.
You can read the complete study by using the following link:
Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a new drug for treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension.
These studies, and many others like them, demonstrate a strong correlation between ingesting certain peptides and reduced blood pressure among patients with hypertension. That is because peptides are strong vasodilators. When these peptides are present they become the target of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). This has the effect of preventing the production of angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II, you may recall, constricts the blood vessels thereby causing blood pressure to rise. If angiotensin II is not present then the blood vessels can relax (dilate) resulting in lower blood pressure.
A Natural Approach
Fortunately many people today prefer natural methods for controlling their blood pressure. For this reason peptides derived from bonito protein are gaining in popularity as an alternative to ACE inhibiting drugs. Why?
Because bonito peptides have ACE inhibiting characteristics without the side-effects common with ACE inhibiting medications.
Anti-ACE bonito sourced peptides are a natural alternative to ACE inhibiting drugs. They work to relax the arterial walls and reduce fluid volume. In fact peptides exert the strongest inhibition of ACE reported for any naturally occurring substance available.
What does this mean? It means that it is now possible for many of us to get the ACE inhibiting (blood pressure lowering) effects of ACE inhibiting drugs without the negative side-effects. That is without…
- dry nighttime cough
- headache
- light-headedness
- dizziness
- potassium buildup
- kidney problems
- severe allergic reaction
Supplement Recommendations
If your doctor has prescribed ACE inhibiting drugs please don’t stop taking them. Instead add bonito sourced peptides to your regimen. As you become less dependent on the drugs your doctor will responsibly stop prescribing them.
If your blood pressure is high and your doctor has threatened to prescribe anti-hypertension medication (especially ACE inhibitors) give natural peptides a try. They may keep you from starting drug therapy.
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