Women with higher levels of vitamins and trace elements in their blood during pregnancysuch as copper, manganese and vitamin B12, had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure 20 years later, in middle age, according to a study presented at a conference of the American Cardiology Society and will be published in the journal Hypertension.

Manganese, selenium, magnesium and copper are among metals that are important for a healthy organism because their antioxidant and anti -inflammatory properties can help protect against cardiovascular disease. Previous research has found that higher manganese levels were associated with a lower risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy). In contrast, chronic exposure to unnecessary metals lead, cadmium and male is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers, led by the Mingyu zhangEpidemiologist and Medical Professor in his Medical School Harvard And at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, data from an ongoing, long -term study launched in 1999 for women and their children living in eastern Massachusetts. Nearly 500 women were signed in the study during early pregnancy, between 1999 and 2002, with an average age of 32.9 years. The researchers measured the concentrations of unnecessary metals (male, barium, cadmium, cesium, mercury and lead) of the necessary metals (copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc), folic acid and vitamin B12.

After almost twenty years of follow -up, the researchers carried out a study visit between 2017 and 2021 to the same participants, who were now 51.2 years old. The researchers measured blood pressure to evaluate the possible correlations of individual metals with blood pressure and the risk of high blood pressure.

As it was found, when copper and manganese levels doubled in the blood during pregnancy, the risk of high blood pressure at middle age was 25% and 20% lower, respectively. Also, when vitamin B12 levels in the blood were doubled during pregnancy, women averaged 3.64 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure and 2.52 mm Hg lower diastolic blood pressure almost two decades later. Selenium and zinc levels were also associated with lower blood pressure.

Researchers clarify that the sources of intake of these ingredients, such as food or nutritional supplements, have not been quantified, so these findings should not be interpreted as nutrition recommendations. They add that more studies are needed, including clinical trials to determine the optimal nutritional intake of these metals and micronutrients.