Optimizing copper, manganese, and vitamin B12 during pregnancy may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and hypertension in midlife, according to a study published in Hypertension on March 6. The research coincided with the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.
Led by Mingyu Zhang, Ph.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, the study analyzed essential and nonessential metals in red blood cells, along with folate and vitamin B12 levels in plasma, in women enrolled between 1999 and 2002. Researchers then assessed their midlife blood pressure between 2017 and 2021.
Tracking 493 women for a median of 18.1 years, the study found that doubling copper and manganese levels was associated with a 25% and 20% lower risk of hypertension, respectively.
Higher cesium and selenium levels showed a slight increase in hypertension risk, but confidence intervals were wide. Additionally, doubling vitamin B12 levels correlated with a 3.64 mm Hg and 2.52 mm Hg reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively.
Maternal Diet in Pregnancy Linked to Child’s Risk of Future Disorders
The findings suggest that maintaining optimal levels of copper, manganese, and vitamin B12 during pregnancy may provide long-term cardiovascular benefits.