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The effect of pumpkin seed capsules (Cucurbita moschata) and Tahajjud prayer on cortisol and triglyceride levels in hypertensive patients
Tajani K.D.
Nutricion Clinica Y Dietetica Hospitalaria
Q4Abstract
Background: Through neuroendocrine and metabolic pathways, chronic stress and dyslipidemia contribute a major role in the onset and progression of hypertension. While Tahajjud prayer, a type of nocturnal spiritual practice, has been correlated to the regulation of stress-related hormonal responses, pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita moschata) are rich in bioactive chemicals that may benefit lipid metabolism. However, evidence on their combined effects is still relatively few. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess how Tahajjud prayer and pumpkin seed supplementation affected the levels of triglycerides and cortisol in hypertensive individuals. Methods: 49 hypertensive patients participated in a quasi-experimental study using a pretest–posttest control group design. Participants were divided into two groups: a control group (n = 25) that received standard antihypertensive medicine, and an intervention group (n = 24) that received pumpkin seed capsules (700 mg twice day) together with Tahajjud prayer (≥3 times/week). For thirty days, the intervention was implemented. The GPO-PAP method was used to detect blood triglyceride levels, and immunoassay was used to measure salivary cortisol levels. Differences within and between groups were examined using the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Triglyceride levels in the intervention group were considerably lower than those in the baseline and control groups after 30 days (p = 0.007). Additionally, salivary cortisol levels in the intervention group significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while levels in the control group stayed constant (p = 0.312). Between-group analysis revealed that the intervention group had considerably reduced levels of cortisol and triglycerides. Conclusion: Among hypertensive patients, the combination of Tahajjud prayer and pumpkin seed supplementation was linked to improvements in cortisol and triglyceride levels. These findings imply that an integrative strategy that incorporates nutritional and spiritual therapy may be beneficial for controlling metabolic and stress-related factors in hypertension. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.