## 3 Results  
### Lack of Antihypertensive Effect of Amaranth Protein Hydrolysate in Normotensive Rats  
The SBP lowered after supplementation with amaranth protein hydrolysate in SHR (Figure 2). This positive reduction in SBP started after three hours of supplementation (13.5 mmHg, average; \(p<\) 0.05 vs normotensive groups), but the strongest antihypertensive effect was developed after six and seven hours (52.0 and 48.1 mmHg on average, respectively). The magnitude of the amaranth peptide-induced antihypertensive effect was remarkable in SHR; in fact, the SBP lowered to units very close to the ones documented in normotensive rats (Figure 2). Neither amaranth protein hydrolysate nor captopril lowered the SBP in normotensive rats (\(p>\) 0.05 vs non-supplemented (water only)), and there was not even any trend to lower it (Figure 2).  
Figure 2: Evaluation of SBP in normotensive WKY and SHR. WKY (\(n=24\)) were randomly allocated into three groups: supplemented (amaranth hydrolysate, 1.2 g/kg body weight), captopril (25 mg/kg body weight), and non-supplemented (water only; 1.5 mL). An additional group of supplemented SHR (\(n=8\)) was evaluated (1.2 g/kg body weight). Different letters (A, B, or C) indicate significant differences among groups at the same week. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Tukey’s test. The results are shown as means with standard deviations.  
Supplementation with Amaranth Hydrolysate and Implementation of a Low-Intensity Physical Activity Program Have Similar Antihypertensive Effects  
By week two of the interventions, both the exercised/supplemented group and the sedentary/supplemented group had lowered their SBP by 36.2 and 24.6 mmHg, on average, respectively (\(p<0.05\) vs sedentary/non-supplemented and exercised/non-supplemented) (Figure 3). This significant positive reduction in SBP was developed at week one in the exercised/supplemented group (38.1 mmHg, average). From week two until the end of the interventions, the antihypertensive effects were sustained in both the exercised/supplemented group and the sedentary/supplemented group (\(p<0.05\) vs sedentary/non-supplemented). A slight increase in SBP was observed in the sedentary/supplemented group from week eleven until week seventeen. This indicates that absolute SBP can be lowered, but SBP variations were not adequately controlled. A similar event was observed for the exercised/supplemented group (Figure 3). The lowest positive reduction in SBP was recorded at week five in the sedentary/supplemented group (49.2 mmHg, average) and at week sixteen in the exercised/supplemented group (55.2 mmHg, average) (Figure 3).  
The exercised/non-supplemented group started lowering their SBP at week seven of the intervention (8.5 mmHg, average; \(p>0.05\) vs sedentary/non-supplemented). At week eight, the SBP recorded showed an additional positive reduction (31.5 mmHg, average; \(p<0.05\) vs sedentary/non-supplemented, \(p>0.05\) vs exercised/supplemented and sedentary/supplemented) (Figure 3). The positive reduction in SBP was sustained until the end of the intervention (\(p<0.05\) vs sedentary/non-supplemented, \(p>0.05\) vs exercised/supplemented and sedentary/supplemented). The lowest positive reduction in SBP was recorded at week nineteen (52.0 mmHg, average) (Figure 3).  
Figure 3: Evaluation of SBP in SHR. SHR (\(n=24\)) were randomly allocated into four groups: exercised/supplemented, sedentary/supplemented, exercised/non-supplemented, and sedentary/ non-supplemented. Supplementations consisted of amaranth hydrolysate (1.2 g/kg body weight). See Figure 1 for physical activity details. The dotted line represents the average SBP of eight aged-matched normotensive rats. Different letters (A, B, or C) indicate significant differences among groups at the same week. The data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test. The results are shown as medians with interquartile range.