The Effect of 8 Weeks of Walking and Green Tea Supplementation on Blood Pressure and Uric Acid Levels of Inactive Male Students

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the prevalence of which has increased due to changes in lifestyle and eating habits. This research investigated the effect of 8 weeks of walking and green tea consumption on the BP and uric acid (UA) levels of inactive male students. Methods: Sixty male students from the Persian Gulf University, aged 18 to 23 years, were randomly divided into four groups: Control, supplement, exercise, and exercise + supplement. The exercise program consisted of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity walking, three sessions a week for 8 weeks. The green tea supplement was in the form of herbal tablets containing 500 mg of green tea extract. Over the 8 weeks, it was consumed three times a week after the main meal in the training + supplement and supplement groups. The BP and blood UA levels were measured before and after the training period. Results: The results showed that walking exercise had a significant effect on the BP of the subjects (P = 0.00, F = 208.15), but exercise + supplement (P = 0.449, F = 0.582) and green tea supplement consumption alone had no significant interaction effect on the BP of the subjects (P = 0.686, F = 0.165). Changes in UA were not significant in the walking exercise group (P = 0.834, F = 0.044), the green tea supplement group (P = 0.462, F = 0.549), and the green tea supplement + walking exercise group (P = 0.844, F = 0.039). In comparing the pre-test and post-test BP changes, they were significant only in the green tea supplement + walking exercise group (P = 0.041) and the walking exercise group (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Based on the research results, it can be said that taking green tea supplements along with walking exercise is effective in reducing BP, but it does not affect UA levels.