Can you take Amberen with high blood pressure?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can you take Amberen with high blood pressure?
No, it is not recommended to take Amberen with high blood pressure. Although this multivitamin can help menopausal women greatly, it contains some ingredients that may affect your high or unmanaged blood pressure negatively (1).
Studies have indicated that Amberen contains Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) (2). This could increase your already-elevated blood pressure, especially if you take Amberen daily (3,4).
Hypertension is known as a silent killer for multiple reasons and you shouldn’t take anything that can increase the risk of severe hypertension or any of the complications associated with it.
If you constantly have high blood pressure, talk to a healthcare provider. Unmanaged hypertension can lead to long-term damage. It is important to take an antihypertensive medication regularly if you continue to struggle with high blood pressure.
If we talk about Amberen, a dose or two of the multivitamin may not affect you, but continuous use can exacerbate your unmanaged hypertension.
So, the first step for you is to manage your hypertension. Once you’ve adjusted to it, ask your healthcare provider if it’s safe to use Amberen now and if it can interact with your prescription antihypertensive medication.
Important considerations related to multivitamins in hypertensive patients
When considering multivitamins for hypertensive patients, there are a few important factors to keep in mind:
Sodium content
Check the sodium content of the multivitamin, as excessive sodium intake can raise blood pressure. Look for low-sodium options or those labelled as “salt-free.”
Potassium levels
Hypertensive patients may benefit from higher potassium intake, as it can help lower blood pressure. Look for multivitamins that provide a moderate amount of potassium, but consult with a healthcare professional if you have kidney issues or are taking medications affecting potassium levels.
Medication interactions
Certain multivitamins may interact with blood pressure medications. It’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure there are no potential adverse effects or interactions between the multivitamin and prescribed medications.
Individual needs
Consider your specific nutritional needs and any deficiencies you may have. A personalized approach is important, so it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian who can help select the most appropriate multivitamin for you, according to your overall health status.
Final words
To sum up, Amberen should be avoided in people with high or unmanaged blood pressure. If you are currently taking antihypertensive medications to manage your blood pressure, make sure you ask your doctor before taking any multivitamins.
It is also important to take your blood pressure medications properly to make the most out of them. Avoid taking more or less than the recommended dose.
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References
1.-
Radzinsky VE, Uspenskaya Y, Shulman LP, Kuznetsova IV. Succinate-Based Dietary Supplement for Menopausal Symptoms: A Pooled Analysis of Two Identical Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2019 Oct 31;2019:1572196. doi: 10.1155/2019/1572196. PMID: 31781230; PMCID: PMC6875258. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31781230/
2.-
Zanfirescu A, Ungurianu A, Tsatsakis AM, Nițulescu GM, Kouretas D, Veskoukis A, Tsoukalas D, Engin AB, Aschner M, Margină D. A review of the alleged health hazards of monosodium glutamate. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2019 Jul;18(4):1111-1134. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12448. Epub 2019 May 8. Erratum in: Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2020 Jul;19(4):2330. PMID: 31920467; PMCID: PMC6952072. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952072/
3.-
Shi Z, Yuan B, Taylor AW, Dai Y, Pan X, Gill TK, Wittert GA. Monosodium glutamate is related to a higher increase in blood pressure over 5 years: findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese adults. J Hypertens. 2011 May;29(5):846-53. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0b013e328344da8e. PMID: 21372742. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21372742/
4.-
Thongsepee N, Martviset P, Chantree P, Sornchuer P, Sangpairoj K, Prathaphan P, Ruangtong J, Hiranyachattada S. Daily consumption of monosodium glutamate pronounced hypertension and altered renal excretory function in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Heliyon. 2022 Oct 5;8(10):e10972. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10972. PMID: 36247159; PMCID: PMC9563186. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36247159/
