What is High Blood Pressure?
According to the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC), one in every three American adults have high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the artery walls as it circulates throughout the body. While blood pressure can rise and fall with regularity, consistently high levels can cause serious health problems.
Specifically, high blood pressure increases the risk of serious health conditions including heart attack and stroke. So it’s no surprise to see the question of whether CBD oil may help to lower blood pressure being asked regularly.
Research Studies into CBD Oil and Blood Pressure
The lack of studies surrounding CBD is one of the most challenging aspects when trying to figure out if it will help a certain condition. The use of CBD for blood pressure is no exception. It’s our hope that more medical research will be conducted as CBD continues to gain more mainstream acceptance.
One study from 2017 concluded that “acute administration of CBD reduces resting blood pressure and the blood pressure increase to stress in humans, associated with increased heart rate.” The study group was small (only 9 participants) and the study also concluded that “further research is required to establish whether CBD has a role in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.”
Another study from 2014 indicates that CBD may be a vasodilator. This means that it widens your blood vessels and allows for greater blood flow.
Anecdotal Evidence of CBD Oil Helping to Reduce Blood Pressure
The feedback from members of our CBD Oil Users Group on Facebook has been mixed. The majority of users discussing this topic have told us that their blood pressure has been lower since starting CBD oil. But others have reported that their blood pressure has increased. The disparity of the feedback speaks to the highly individualized effects of CBD.
Indirect reduction of blood pressure could be theorized because of CBD’s ability to reduce inflammation and pain, as well as stress and anxiety. But more research studies are certainly needed to better understand the effect of CBD on blood pressure.
Consult Your Doctor Before Using CBD Oil for High Blood Pressure
If you choose to try CBD for high blood pressure, we highly recommend that you do so under the supervision of your doctor. If you already take blood pressure medications, consult your doctor or a pharmacist to discuss potential interactions. Many prescription drugs are metabolized via the same enzymes as CBD, which can cause interactions.
Also be aware that if you are already lowering your blood pressure via a prescribed drug and thinking about adding CBD, you could experience complications from it dropping too low.
While many take CBD and blood pressure medications with no problems, there are some who need to separate their dosages or reduce the dosages of one or the other. This may be a viable option, but you should never change your medications without speaking with your doctor first.