What risks are associated with ingesting over-the-counter supplements? I have heard that some supplements can conflict with blood pressure medications because I take them.
Answer:
Yes, what you heard is true. When you have high blood pressure, several nutrients should be avoided. However, early research suggests that in your case, a few vitamins might be helpful.
Despite being marketed as “natural” and not requiring a prescription, supplements can have a variety of negative effects on the body. Supplements can have adverse effects, alter the body’s metabolism, and interfere with drugs. No matter how harmless they may seem, it is generally advised that you see your healthcare physician before taking any supplements.
The following supplements should be on your cautionary list if you have high blood pressure:
- St. John’s wort: This herb is used to treat depression and has the added benefit of accelerating the metabolism of several drugs. Your blood pressure medicine may be digested so quickly that it no longer has the desired effect. There may be a rise in blood pressure as a result.
- Echinacea: Echinacea is thought to aid with cold and flu symptoms, but some research suggests that it also affects how drugs are digested.
- Ephedra: Due to safety concerns, this substance, which is utilized in weight-loss products, is prohibited in the US. Ephedra has been linked to serious health issues such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and others.
- Bitter orange: In some weight-loss products, ephedra left a void that is filled by this supplement. But that does not automatically imply that it is safer. Bitter orange has been associated with strokes and heart attacks and has been shown to raise blood pressure and heart rate.
- Yohimbine: Yohimbine has previously been promoted as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Its popularity appears to be waning, possibly as a result of numerous negative consequences, such as an increase in blood pressure.
- Ginseng: Early research indicates that ginseng may reduce blood sugar, lessen fatigue, or strengthen the immune system. Additionally, it could change the blood pressure. For people with high or low blood pressure issues, ginseng is best avoided.
Fish oil and garlic are two supplements that have shown some promise in your situation.
According to studies, regularly consuming fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout can lower your chance of developing heart disease and passing away. When eating fatty fish twice a week, the heart benefits seem to be the greatest. An alternative for people who can’t or don’t enjoy fish is a fish oil supplement. According to some research, patients with mild hypertension who take a fish oil supplement (4 grams per day) see a slight reduction in blood pressure. However, there is insufficient evidence to fully support fish oil as a method of lowering blood pressure.
Garlic is well known for its possible heart health advantages, particularly for decreasing excessive blood cholesterol levels. Additionally, some data suggests that garlic may loosen blood vessels and smooth muscles. According to studies, ingesting a garlic extract (200–400 mg three times per day for one month) can somewhat lower blood pressure. This research is preliminary and insufficient to support the use of garlic as a sole blood pressure lowering agent.
When treating a medical condition, supplements are never the only option. I hope you and your doctor have also talked about the advantages of a balanced diet, exercise, and stress reduction in addition to medicine. I usually add the following to the list: Find ways to give your life more purpose through your work, relationships, volunteering, or other endeavors. No matter what disease you have, these four strategies form the foundation of excellent health in general.
Do your research when you hear of a fascinating supplement. Finding the research study that might be making headlines is simple thanks to the Internet. Look at the study’s size, if the supplement was put up against a placebo, and the specifics of the findings. Talk to your doctor about how the supplement might influence your health after gathering this information.
Echinacea and blood pressure medications are compatible, right?
There is no proof that echinacea would interact with diuretics, although several natural items, such as Siberian ginseng, St. Mary’s thistle, and grapefruit juice, have been reported to interfere with various types of blood-pressure medication.
What supplements should someone with high blood pressure stay away from?
Examples of herbal supplements that may interfere with blood pressure drugs or your blood pressure are as follows:
- Arnica (Arnica montana)
- Ephedra (ma-huang)
- Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius and Panax ginseng)
- Guarana (Paullinia cupana)
- Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
What plant is beneficial for blood pressure?
Popular in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking is parsley (Petroselinum crispum). It has a remarkable nutritional profile and is a native of the Mediterranean.
Several substances included in parsley, including vitamin C and dietary carotenoids, have been shown to lower blood pressure (8).
Carotenoid antioxidants have been demonstrated in numerous studies to lower blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease (8).
According to research conducted on animals, parsley works like a calcium channel blocker, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels, to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (9).
There isn’t much human study on parsley and blood pressure, though. To further understand its impacts, more study in this area is required.
Several substances included in parsley, including vitamin C and dietary carotenoids, may help decrease blood pressure. To verify these effects, more human study is necessary.
Those who shouldn’t use echinacea
The more frequent echinacea adverse effects are as follows:
- headaches
- dizziness
- feeling unwell
- belly pain
- constipation
- skin repercussions (redness, itchiness and swelling)
- Children are more likely to have them.
Echinacea use for longer than 8 weeks at a time may cause liver damage or immune system suppression. If you are taking medications known to have an adverse effect on your liver, herbalists advise against taking echinacea.
If you use any additional medications, herbs, or supplements, check with your doctor first.
Using echinacea safely
If you want to substitute echinacea for your cancer therapy, let your doctor know. Additionally, if you are considering taking it concurrently with your cancer therapy.
In some people, it may not be safe to use in conjunction with other cancer treatments.
Echinacea may impair the effectiveness of some chemotherapy medications, including etoposide.
Sometimes pharmacists and medical professionals advise lymphoma patients not to consume echinacea. This is so that it won’t affect how they’re being treated.
Researchers discovered that echinacea and etravine were safe to ingest together in HIV-positive individuals.
If any of the following apply to you before consuming echinacea:
- are breastfeeding or pregnant
- have a medical condition like autoimmune illness, HIV, or AIDS that impairs your immune system
- are medicating to weaken your immune system because it might fight them
- are under 12 years old
- There is a possibility of allergic responses including skin rashes, according to the medical health regulatory association (MHRA).
Always discuss the use of complementary or alternative cancer therapy with your doctors and nurses. They could affect how well your other therapies work.
Your treatment team can point you in the direction of further resources if they don’t have the knowledge you need.
How does echinacea affect the heart?
In order to protect your cells from oxidative stress, which has been related to chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and many others, antioxidants are chemicals that help.
The flavonoids, cichoric acid, and rosmarinic acid are a few of these antioxidants (3).
Compared to other plant parts, such the leaves and root, these antioxidants seem to be present in greater amounts in plant extracts from the fruit and flowers (4, 5, 6).
Alkamides, which are also present in echinacea plants, can further boost antioxidant action. Alkamides can replenish exhausted antioxidants and improve antioxidants’ ability to interact with molecules vulnerable to oxidative damage (7).
Antioxidants like flavonoids, cichoric acid, and rosmarinic acid, which are abundant in echinacea, may help protect your body from oxidative stress.
What vitamin is recommended for high blood pressure?
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Your blood pressure might cause dangerous problems like heart disease or a stroke if it is too high.
Did you know that some foods and nutrients can help decrease your blood pressure in addition to drugs like beta-blockers?
Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian, explains how specific meals can help lower blood pressure.
Types of food that can help lower blood pressure
Foods high in antioxidants may have a minor effect on blood pressure readings. If you want to lower your blood pressure, foods high in vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, selenium, or L-arginine are good choices. Antioxidants shield your cells from oxidative stress and help lower inflammation, both of which can lower blood pressure.
Foods high in vitamin C
Vitamin C-rich foods can guard against oxidative stress, which can lead to inflammation. Good choices consist of:
- Peppers.
- Kiwis.
- Broccoli.
- sprouts from Brussels.
- Strawberries.
- The sweet potato.
- Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are examples of citrus fruits.
Which vitamin causes elevated blood pressure?
- A B vitamin called riboflavin supports various metabolic and antioxidant processes and aids in the conversion of food into usable energy.
- Riboflavin assists the MTHFR enzyme by converting folate into the form needed for homocysteine to be converted to methionine.
- A riboflavin deficit may slow the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, and a high blood homocysteine level is linked to a higher risk of hypertension.
- People who have a particular genetic variation (polymorphism) in MTHFR may be more prone to high blood pressure.
- Supplementing with riboflavin reduces blood pressure and homocysteine levels in hypertensive people with the MTHFR c.677C>T polymorphism (homozygotes).
Genetic analysis is used to measure the MTHFR polymorphism. A little bit of blood, saliva, or tissue is used in a genetic test to isolate and identify a person’s genetic information. Genetic testing is optional, and doctors and genetic counselors can help you make that decision.
How can I instantly lower my blood pressure?
Call 9-1-1 right away if you’re attempting to quickly drop your blood pressure at home. Dangerously high blood pressure cannot be safely treated at home. The best course of action is to lay down flat and be quiet until help arrives.
Which types of tea are beneficial for high blood pressure?
Researchers examined the impact of tea consumption throughout the years on the chance of acquiring high blood pressure in 1,507 Chinese men and women living in Taiwan who had no prior history of the condition for the study, which was published in the July 26 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
The participants were requested to provide information regarding the type of cup used, how the tea was prepared, the amount consumed, and the frequency per week in order to compute the average tea consumption per day because the size of the teacup used in Chinese culture varies widely.
Additionally, the type of tea (green, black, or oolong) consumed and the length of time subjects had been tea drinkers were recorded by researchers. The same plant yields green, oolong, and black teas. The type of tea and flavonoid concentration are determined by how the Camellia sinensis leaves are processed.
According to the study, 40% of the individuals had been drinking tea regularly for one or more years and had consumed at least a half-cup daily. Green or oolong tea was consumed by more than 96 percent of tea drinkers.
In comparison to non-tea drinkers, tea drinkers were more likely to be younger, male, and to have greater levels of education and socioeconomic status. But compared to those who didn’t drink tea frequently, they were also more obese, smoked more, drank more alcohol, ate fewer vegetables, and consumed more sodium.
Researchers discovered that tea consumers were significantly less likely to acquire high blood pressure than non-tea drinkers after accounting for these and other characteristics linked to heart disease and high blood pressure risk.
Over the course of a year, people who drank at least a half-cup of moderately strong green or oolong tea every day had a 46% lower chance of getting hypertension than people who didn’t. More than two and a half cups of tea a day significantly decreased the risk of high blood pressure by 65%.
The researchers write that non-habitual tea consumers had a larger risk of developing hypertension than habitual tea drinkers, and that risk decreased over time as daily intake of tea increased. However, drinking tea for longer than a year was not linked to a further decrease in the incidence of hypertension.
The minimal amount of tea required to produce blood pressure-lowering benefits, according to the study’s findings, looks to be a half-cup per day of green or oolong tea for at least a year.
In order to confirm these findings and comprehend the processes underlying tea’s blood pressure-lowering effects, more extensive long-term investigations are reportedly required.
Does ginger lower blood pressure?
By preventing blood clots from forming in your arteries and blood vessels, ginger may also aid in lowering high blood pressure. Your circulatory system’s ability to move blood can be impeded or prevented by blood clots, which can exacerbate high blood pressure. Ginger may aid in reducing cardiac disorders including heart attacks and strokes by preventing blood clots.
When compared to additives like salt, which should never be used in excess, ginger is unquestionably a healthier option. Image Source: iStock
Additionally, the chemical components in ginger may lower low density lipoproteins and total blood cholesterol. These are the cholesterol byproducts that might aggravate heart disease. Low density lipoproteins and cholesterol can both contribute to the buildup of sticky plaque on the artery and blood vessel walls. This causes obstructions in the circulatory system, which by limiting the inner diameter of blood vessels and arteries, can contribute to high blood pressure. Your arteries’ elasticity may be decreased by plaque, which worsens high blood pressure.
Therefore, include ginger in your diet becomes vital. When compared to additives like salt, which should never be used in excess, ginger is unquestionably a healthier option.
What can be done to lower blood pressure the quickest?
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- Watch your weight loss and waistline. Weight gain frequently causes an increase in blood pressure.
- Regular exercise
- Adopt a balanced diet.
- Eat a diet low in salt.
- Be careful how much alcohol you consume.
- Give up smoking.
- Reduce your caffeine intake.
- Become less stressed.