A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of casein protein hydrolysate (C12 peptide) in human essential hypertension

Background: Many patients seek complementary medicine treatments like neutraceuticals for common conditions such as hypertension. Methods: We conducted a placebo-controlled prospective randomized crossover study in 10 hypertensive subjects to determine whether a single dose of a hydrolysate of bovine milk protein (designated C12 peptide; low and high dose), either alone or combined with alginic acid (low and high dose), reduced daytime blood pressure (BP), as determined by ambulatory BP monitoring. Results: Within the five treatment regimens a significant reduction of 9.2 +/- 3.2 mm Hg in systolic BP at h 6 compared with h 2 occurred on the higher dose of alginic acid (1754 mg) combined with C12 (P = .02). The C12 peptide with the higher dose of alginic acid also showed a significant reduction of 6.0 +/- 2.0 mm Hg in diastolic BP at h 6 compared with h 2 (P = .015). Conclusions: These preliminary data are encouraging and deserve testing in a larger and longer treatment trial. (C) 2004 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.