LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Do we Need Functional Foods for the Treatment of Hypertension?

Abstract

First, is it possible that the use of pomegranate juice (PJ), a functional beverage, will reduce the adherence of hypertensive to the antihypertensive drug treatment that they might need for the effective control of their blood pressure? It has been shown that the use of functional foods or dietary supplements may offer opportunities to reduce health risk factors and risk of diseases, both as monotherapy and in combination with prescription drugs. Nevertheless, the potential caveats or false claims of these products should not be overlooked [2]. Should we jeopardize the necessary drug treatment for a functional food?