Blood pressure with age: what the research says about Knowing and controlling your blood pressure, Home blood pressure monitors, Drinking less alcohol

What people try

4Knowing and controlling your blood pressureStage 4 · Widely recommended · Checks at doctors' offices and pharmacies; treatment by prescriptionHigh blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and it can be measured and managed.Main risk: Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure.4Home blood pressure monitorsStage 4 · Widely recommended · Over the counter at pharmacies and onlineHome blood pressure monitoring means people measure their own blood pressure outside a clinic, using a home device.Main risk: Home monitors might not always be correct, and they do not replace medical visits.4Drinking less alcoholStage 4 · Widely recommended · FreeDrinking less alcohol means cutting back on how much you drink, which is better for health than drinking more.Main risk: Taking aspirin and drinking raises the risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding.4Healthy eating patterns (Mediterranean, DASH, whole foods)Stage 4 · Widely recommended · Free; a change in eatingThe Mediterranean diet is a plant-focused eating plan based on the traditional foods and cooking methods of the Mediterranean region.Main risk: It says people may have lower iron levels.4Too much sittingStage 4 · Widely recommended · FreeToo much sitting means long periods of low-energy time spent sitting, reclining or lying while awake.Main risk: Adults who sit a lot are linked to higher rates of death from any cause, heart disease and cancer.2MagnesiumStage 2 · Small studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementMagnesium is a mineral the body needs, found in foods, supplements, and some medicines such as antacids and laxatives.Main risk: High doses from supplements or medicines often cause diarrhea, which can come with nausea and belly cramping.

Products

Sorted by the best research stage of each product's ingredients, then by price. The stage describes research on the ingredient, not proof that the product works.

Supplements 3

Nature Made · capsuleHigh Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Capsules 200 mgMagnesium2 Ingredient research: small studies in people$21.99 Doctor's Best · tabletDoctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium, 100 mg, 240 TabletsMagnesium2 Ingredient research: small studies in people$23.99 Thorne · capsuleMagnesium Glycinate - 90 ServingsMagnesium2 Ingredient research: small studies in people$26

Devices 8

Recent research

Summary of earlier studies

How everyday surroundings may affect heart failure in older adults

This review looks at pollution, noise, heat, and other surroundings linked to heart failure in older people.

Study in 49 older patients with atrial fibrillation, average age 78

Mediterranean diet linked to two mitochondrial proteins in older heart patients

People who followed the Mediterranean diet more closely had higher blood levels of two small proteins.

New study

Healthy diets linked to slower epigenetic aging in two large groups

Researchers compared ten healthy diet scores and how they relate to DNA aging markers.

Study in 896 adults with depression and 36,206 without, from UK Biobank

Lifestyle differences may shape how brain aging looks in people with depression

Researchers grouped people with depression by lifestyle and fitness, then looked at their brain age.

Study in 69 breast cancer survivors

How activity is measured changes its link to gut bacteria in breast cancer survivors

Researchers compared three ways of measuring activity and fitness with gut bacteria.

See all the latest research →

What others are writing

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Cleveland Clinic · Sep 4, 2026

Heart and blood pressure: blood pressure