CBD for High Blood Pressure

Among the many health concerns CBD is proving to be beneficial for is high blood pressure. Considering how prevalent high blood pressure is in the United States—along with associated conditions like cardiovascular disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome—this is very good news. 

Backed by science

In June 2017, the American Society for Clinical Investigation published a study that showed the potential for CBD to help lower blood pressure. The study was conducted on nine healthy, young men, who were each given 600mg of CBD followed by a series of stress tests. The tests usually raise individuals’ blood pressures a certain amount, but for these men, their blood pressures stayed lower after the administered dose of CBD than they would normally without CBD. But the study went further—in addition to curbing stress test-induced spikes, the CBD was found to actually reduce the men’s resting blood pressures as well in comparison to when the same group took a placebo instead. 

There was another study published by the Brazilian Psychiatric Association in 2019 that provided a different test for CBD’s effect on blood pressure. This study simulated an anxiety-inducing public speaking scenario for 57 healthy men, who received varying doses of CBD (150mg, 300mg, 600mg) or a placebo before giving their speeches. It looked at visual cues and moods of the subjects before and after their speeches, as well as such physiological measures as systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. They found that those subjects who received the 300mg dose of CBD showed significantly reduced blood pressure and anxiety during their speeches compared to those who received the placebo. 

And in a 2015 study, researchers in the UK found CBD to activate vasorelaxation in human arteries. Vasorelaxation refers to the dilation of blood vessels, which then increases the amount of blood flowing through them and decreases the speed at which it flows. This study specifically looked at the arteries of the mesentery—an organ linked to the intestines and abdomen—but could indicate how CBD would affect arteries in other areas of the body as well. 

Because the studies have been done on groups of men who did not have high blood pressure, more research is needed to determine its exact efficacy for those who do have the condition. It’s also possible that CBD could affect the blood pressures and vascular behaviors of women differently. But at this point, the studies give very positive indications for good things overall.

How CBD helped related conditions

Not only does CBD seem to be an effective treatment for high blood pressure, but it also helps with symptoms and other conditions that affect high blood pressure. As indicated by the results of the 2019 study discussed above, CBD has been found in numerous studies and research cases to reduce stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety have a huge influence on blood pressure, usually causing much higher blood pressure for those who experience the conditions. Going in the other direction, high blood pressure can cause significant pain and inflammation for some patients. So, considering that CBD has been shown to both help treat stress and anxiety and reduce pain and inflammation (we discuss how in this post), it also makes sense that it would help treat certain causes and symptoms of high blood pressure more directly. 

How does CBD lower blood pressure?

You might be thinking, “This is all really great, but how does it actually work?” Well, there are a couple of ways scientists think it’s working.

For one, like the 2015 study previously mentioned found, CBD acts as a vasorelaxant, or a vasodilator. It helps expand your arteries, allowing the blood to flow easier and slower, thereby decreasing the intensity and pressure of its flow. High blood pressure, on the other hand, induces vasoconstriction, a.k.a. the narrowing of your arteries, which pumps the blood faster and raises the pressure. So, CBD works against that. 

For two, CBD is also a haemodynamic regulator. Haemodynamics refers to the pattern of blood movement throughout the body—how it circulates. Regulation in this respect refers to making the pattern of movement more consistent, creating a steadier flow. So, for patients with high blood pressure and, therefore, highly inconsistent blood flow, CBD can counteract those symptoms and create a steadier flow that is less prone to changing suddenly.

Best CBD to take for blood pressure stabilization 

Because symptoms of high blood pressure can come on quickly, you likely want to take CBD in a form that will be able to take effect quickly too. In this case, you need a form that hits your bloodstream specifically. We recommend sublingual tinctures. In tincture form, the CBD goes into your bloodstream very fast, and you don’t have to wait for it to be digested, as you do in the case of capsules or edibles. 

Always choose from reputable brands with third-party lab testing and certificates of analyses, and especially when trying to help treat a medical condition, always consult with your doctor to determine both whether CBD will safely interact with other medications you may be on and what your dosage should be. 

Check out the tinctures from our partners here.