This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Hypertension is an important public health challenge in the United States because of its high prevalence and the concomitant increase in risk of cardiovascular and renal disease (1-3). As many as 42.3 million, or approximately one in every four adult residents of the U.S., have hypertension, defined as having a systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg and/or taking antihypertensive medications. In addition, there are 7.7 million residents who have been told at least twice by their physicians or other health professionals that they have hypertension. Overall, there are about 50 million adult hypertensives in the US based on data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Hypertension is not only the most common, but also the most modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease (the leading cause of death in the US population), stroke (the third leading cause of death), congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease, and peripheral vascular disease. Observational epidemiologic studies have demonstrated an increased risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases related to an elevated blood level of blood pressure. Lifestyle modification, including nutritional intervention, provides the best approach for the prevention of hypertension, and for the initial treatment of patients with stage-1 hypertension. An intervention to lower blood pressure in the general population will produce not only a substantial reduction in hypertension prevalence, but should also result in a large decrease in cardiovascular risk. Dietary soy protein supplementation has been proposed as a means to lower serum lipids. Results from the proposed study may provide new evidence for the recommendation of dietary soy protein supplementation to the general public as a means to prevent and treat hypertension. The study of milk protein supplementation on blood pressure may also provide the potential for an additional means of non-pharmaceutical intervention for lowering blood pressure in populations. The overall objective of this study is to examine the effect of dietary protein supplementation on blood pressure in men and women age 22 years and older with a blood pressure higher than optimal level or stage-1 hypertension. The study is designed as a two-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial to test the following two primary hypotheses: 1) Compared to placebo, 40g of soy protein supplementation a day, over 8 weeks, will decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure; 2) Compared to placebo, 40g of milk protein supplementation a day, over 8 weeks, will decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Secondary hypotheses are: Compared to placebo, soy and milk protein supplementation will reduce: 1) plasma glucose and insulin levels; 2) serum total- and LDL- cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; 3) plasma leptin levels; 4) plasma homocysteine levels; and 5) ratio of waist to hip circumferences. The effects of soy protein and milk protein supplementation on blood pressure will not be significantly different. The changes in plasma (serum) levels of insulin, glucose, leptin, homocysteine, and lipids, and ratio of waist to hip circumferences will be related to the possible reduction in blood pr
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