Stability of blood pressure in vegetarians receiving dietary protein supplements.

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Abstract
Vegetarians have relatively low blood pressure (BP) levels and consume less protein than do nonvegetarians, and there have been suggestions that certain proteins may raise BP. To determine whether dietary protein supplements raise the BP of vegetarians, 58 g/day of a 60:40 mixture of soy and wheat proteins and an isocaloric low protein supplement supplying 7 g/day of rice protein were added for 6-wk periods to the diet of 18 vegetarians in a 2-group crossover design. Mean daily protein intake during consumption of the low and high protein supplements was 63 and 119 g, respectively. Mean BP was 109/72 mm Hg after the high protein and 108/71 mm Hg after the low protein diet. Consumption of other major nutrients, mean body weight, and Na and K excretion diet did not change significantly. Thus, protein supplementation of a vegetarian diet that contained a below average but nutritionally adequate amount of protein did not significantly affect BP over 6 wk.