High Blood Pressure

Why it works: Vasodilation (more nitric oxide): Leaf extracts can increase endothelial nitric-oxide production and relax resistance arteries—mechanistically consistent with modest BP reductions....

Instructions: Form & sourcing. • Prefer leaf-based products (powder, capsules, tea). Avoid root/bark/flower preparations due to safety concerns (uterotonic/toxic compounds). WebMD. • Choose thir...

Warnings: Pregnancy: Leaf products may be “possibly safe” only in later pregnancy; root, bark, and flowers are...

Studies: 2025 narrative review (Nutrients): Summarizes animal and hum...

Why it works: Promotes vasodilation (wider blood vessels). Garlic’s sulfur compounds increase nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) signalling in blood vessels—both relax vascular smooth...

Instructions: 1) If you choose a supplement (most studied option):. • Preferred form: Aged garlic extract (AGE) standardized to SAC. This is the form used in most positive RCTs. Nature. • Dose u...

Warnings: Bleeding risk / surgery: Garlic (particularly supplements) can increase bleeding risk. Stop at least...

Studies: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)Dose–response RCT (EJCN 2...

Why it works: Hawthorn contains flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins that can relax blood vessels (endothelium-dependent, nitric-oxide–mediated vasodilation) and may modestly improve endotheli...

Instructions: Standardized extract capsules. • Common research doses: 900–1,200 mg/day of standardized hawthorn extract, usually split in 2 doses, for 12–16 weeks.. • Examples: 1,200 mg/day for...

Warnings: Interactions with heart/BP drugs. • Hawthorn can potentiate antihypertensives (risk of additive lowe...

Studies: Meta-analysis (2025) – Pharmaceuticals (MDPI): 6 randomized,...

Why it works: Magnesium helps blood vessels relax (vasodilation) by acting as a mild, natural calcium-channel antagonist, supporting nitric-oxide and prostacyclin production in the endothelium,...

Instructions: 1) Preferred forms & absorption. Choose well-absorbed forms such as magnesium citrate, glycinate, lactate, or chloride; oxide and sulfate are less bioavailable and more likely to c...

Warnings: Kidney disease: Avoid unsupervised use—impaired renal function raises risk of hypermagnesemia (too m...

Studies: Overall, randomized trials and meta-analyses show small aver...

Why it works: Counteracts sodium & promotes natriuresis. Higher potassium intake makes the kidneys excrete more sodium and water, reducing circulating volume and blood pressure; it also relaxes...

Instructions: Start with food, not pills, unless your clinician prescribes otherwise.. Aim for guideline-level intake from foods.. • WHO: ≥3,510 mg/day for adults. World Health Organization. • A...

Warnings: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) or reduced kidney function → impaired K excretion; even “normal” dietar...

Studies: Randomized trials & meta-analysesDose–response meta-anal...

Why it works: Endothelial function & vascular effects (indirect BP relevance). In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT in adults with features of metabolic syndrome, a standardized be...

Instructions: Choose a standardized extract. Look for BPF or a flavonoid-standardized bergamot juice extract (e.g., Bergavit). Drugs.com. Typical studied doses (for lipids):. • BPF 500–1,000 mg/...

Warnings: Medication interactions (CYP3A4—grapefruit-like). Furanocoumarins such as bergamottin—originally ide...

Studies: RCT (2022–2023): Double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm tri...

Why it works: Endothelial (blood-vessel lining) effects & nitric oxide (NO): Hesperidin/hesperetin improve endothelial function and stimulate NO signaling, promoting vasodilation. A mechanistic/...

Instructions: Via orange juice (food-based):. • 500 mL/day of 100% orange juice (≈345 mg hesperidin) or hesperidin-enriched orange juice (≈600 mg/day) for 12 weeks improved BP in pre/Stage-1 hyp...

Warnings: Not a substitute for prescribed BP meds. Never stop or change antihypertensives without a clinician’...

Studies: Randomized controlled trial in elevated/Stage-1 hypertension...

Why it works: OLE is rich in polyphenols—especially oleuropein (and related secoiridoids like oleacein)—that appear to support vascular health through several mechanisms:. • Mild ACE-inhibition...

Instructions: There isn’t a single “official” dose, but the two best-known human trials used these regimens:. Stage-1 hypertension (head-to-head vs captopril):. • 500 mg standardized OLE twice d...

Warnings: May potentiate BP-lowering medicines → risk of low BP/dizziness, especially if you’re already contro...

Studies: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)Stage-1 hypertension (OLE...

Why it works: Fibrinolysis & vascular effects. Nattokinase directly degrades fibrin and boosts your body’s own clot-dissolving system by increasing tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and reduci...

Instructions: These are study protocols (not personal medical advice). Always coordinate with your clinician if you have hypertension or take other meds.. • Form: Standardized nattokinase (often...

Warnings: Bleeding risk / drug interactions. Because nattokinase is fibrinolytic, avoid or use only with clini...

Studies: Hypertension Research (2008), RCT (n=86). Nattokinase 2,000...

Why it works: ACE inhibition (relaxes blood vessels): Lab and animal work shows hibiscus extracts inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a common drug target in hypertension. Some human tr...

Instructions: Tea (tisane) — the best-studied form. • Amount & duration used in RCTs: 3 cups/day (three 240-mL cups) of brewed hibiscus tea for 6 weeks lowered systolic BP by about 7 mmHg on ave...

Warnings: Do not self-replace prescription therapy. Hibiscus can add to the effects of BP medicines (risk of h...

Studies: Randomized, placebo-controlled tea trial (McKay 2010): 65 ad...

Why it works: Improves endothelial function & nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Pycnogenol’s procyanidins and related polyphenols appear to boost endothelial NO bioavailability (vasodilation) and red...

Instructions: Dose used in hypertension/cardiometabolic trials: most commonly 100–200 mg/day, often divided (e.g., 100 mg twice daily). Herbalgram. Duration: Many RCTs ran 8–12 weeks (some longe...

Warnings: Medication interactions (theoretical/observed):. • Antihypertensives: Additive BP-lowering—monitor f...

Studies: Meta-analyses & systematic reviews2025 BMC meta-analysis...

Why it works: Proposed mechanism: Forskolin directly activates adenylate cyclase → raises intracellular cAMP → relaxes vascular smooth muscle via downstream signaling (less intracellular Ca²⁺) →...

Instructions: There is no standardized, evidence-based dosing regimen for hypertension. If you’re considering it, do so only with your clinician’s supervision, especially if you already take ant...

Warnings: Potential to lower BP / add to drug effects: Could potentiate hypotension with existing BP meds (bet...

Studies: Geriatric hypertension trial (India, 2011) – randomized to t...