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.