Bovine Casein Hydrolysate (C12 Peptide) Reduces Blood Pressure in Prehypertensive Subjects

BACKGROUND: About one in four adults suffer from prehypertension. People with prehypertension are at risk of developing hypertension, being a biomarker for cardiovascular disease risk. The use of milk-derived protein hydrolysates containing peptides with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting properties may reduce blood pressure (BP) and thus the risk of developing hypertension. METHODS: We investigated the BP-lowering effect of a casein-derived protein hydrolysate (C12 Peptide) during a 4-week intervention period in prehypertensive subjects. After a 2-week run-in period, 48 Taiwanese volunteers were randomly assigned to either placebo or C12 Peptide tablets for 4 weeks, followed by a 2-week off-treatment period. After the run-in period, BP was measured weekly. RESULTS: Baseline values for systolic BP (mean +/- SEM) in the placebo and C12 Peptide groups were 137.1 +/- 3.1 and 137.9 +/- 2.4 mm Hg, respectively; those for diastolic BP were 85.2 +/- 2.1 and 86.9 +/- 2.0 mm Hg, respectively. Four weeks repeated daily intake of 3.8 g C12 Peptide reduced significantly systolic and diastolic BP by 10.7 +/- 1.6 mm Hg and 6.9 +/- 1.2 mm Hg, respectively, compared to baseline. Furthermore, plasma angiotensin II and aldosterone levels were reduced significantly (P < .05). The placebo group showed a BP reduction of 3.6 +/- 2.4 and 2.7 +/- 1.6 mm Hg in systolic and diastolic BP, respectively (P = not significant). No evidence of side effects was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that C12 Peptide reduces BP in prehypertensive people.