Hello runners - I have a question for  runners who have a history of running and at some point in boomer years  started taking blood pressure medication.  Have you noticed any changes  in your body during and after runs?  Do you / are you still able to do  hard workouts at times?  Are you still on the meds? Anyone able to stop  the medication after eating healthier and continuing to run regularly?

I'm am an 55 year old male  in decent condition.  After running steady for several years then  stopped due to family deaths and other crisis but was able to start  running again.  However, in going for check ups the doctor notice my bp was usally at 140/80something.  After trying a few medications i finally  settled with 10mg Benazepril.  I have been taking this for about 2  years now.  I'm looking to speak to the doctor to see if I can try to  come off them and maintain my bp thru diet and exercising regularly.

Here is some information  someone sent me about this question.  I'll sharre it with you:     Some  blood pressure medications affect your ability to run and exercise more  than others. If this is something you seriously want to pursue, it could  be one of the main factors in determining which blood pressure  medication is best for you.  Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers  (amlodipine, nifedipine, etc., but not diltiazem or verapamil) tend to  be preferred for athletes. ACE inhibitors are another good choice for  people who like vigorous exercise. Beta-blockers tend to be poor choices  for people wanting to do hard exercise, and most diuretics are poor  choices as well.

I guess I'm trying to find  out what effects bp medication have on runners / performance/ and is it  safe to run hard.  Any comments?