The effect of kefir consumption on blood pressure, some blood parameters and anthropometric measurments in hypertensive i̇ndividuals

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of kefir consumption on blood pressure, some blood parameters and anthropometric measurements in hypertensive individuals. Material and Method: The study is a randomized controlled clinical trial. The mean systolic blood pressure in hypertensive individuals was taken as 145.2±19.2, and the minimum sample size was determined as 30 for each group with a 95% confidence interval and 80% power when calculating the sample size of the study. The study was conducted by face-to-face interviews with a total of 100 volunteers, 35 male, 65 female, aged 18 and over, who were hypertensive and volunteered to participate in the study and applied to the internal medicine outpatient clinics of Akçadağ Şehit Gökhan Aslan State Hospital between September 2020 and May 2021. The experimental (n=42) and control (n=58) groups that the patients are randomly assigned into, the experimental group was ensured to consume 250 ml/day kefir for 28 days. During the study, 12 individuals from the experimental group and 22 individuals from the control group have left. The study was completed with 56 volunteers. At the beginning of the study and the end of 4 weeks, blood samples, blood pressure, pulse and anthropometric measurements of the individuals were taken. Results: When the anthropometric measurements were compared, the body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and hip circumference of the individuals in the experimental group decreased significantly at the end of the study. There was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of glycemic parameters. While no significant change was observed in the lipid profile in the experimental group, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels decreased in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in kidney function parameters in both groups. In addition, at the end of the study, there was no significant change in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in the experimental group, but systolic blood pressure decreased significantly. Conclusion: Regular kefir consumption may have positive effects on hypertension and weight control. Key Words: kefir, hypertension, obesity