May Lower Blood Pressure

According to BBC News, a low-carb diet like the Atkins one is more effective in lowering blood pressure than weight-loss drugs. It claimed that a study had found that twice as many people on a low-carb diet had lowered blood pressure compared to those who were taking orlistat.

Hypertension, or raised blood pressure, increases the risk for a wide range of diseases including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Low-carb diets can help lower blood pressure, which should lower your risk of developing certain diseases and prolong your life. The low-carb diet did have the benefit of lowering blood pressure. The low-carb group's systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) decreased by roughly 6%, while their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) decreased by 4.5 points.