Lifestyle Changes To Help Prevent High Blood Pressure
Using medications as prescribed and making lifestyle changes can enhance the quality of life and reduce the risk of hypertension, says the American Heart Association .These changes include:
- Eating a healthy diet that is low in fat, cholesterol, and salt to prevent further plaque build-up in the arteries.
- Exercising regularly to strengthen your heart. This activity could be something as simple as taking a 30-minute walk each day.
- Engaging in activities that help manage stress, such as meditation, journaling, making art, and seeing a therapist.
The Difference Between The Fdas Consensus On Cbd And What The Public Uses Cbd For
The FDA has only approved CBD for the treatment of certain severe seizure disorders. Theyve not approved CBD to treat or cure anything else, including high blood pressure. This is important to keep in mind when youre reviewing the opinions of people who have tried CBD and experienced certain results.
It doesnt mean they arent telling the truth. It just means that at the moment, most doctors will recognize and promote FDA-approved medications over CBD for managing your health conditions.
Even if your well-educated and savvy friend with the best of intentions recommends CBD to you, you should still talk to your doctor before you start using it. If you have a serious medical condition or mental health concern, proven treatment should be the first priority.
CBD may be able to act as a natural aid when used in conjunction with a well-researched and approved treatment, but it should generally never act as a full alternative.
Does Cbd Help With Blood Flow
When you take topical CBD, it will successfully dilate your blood vessels. This allows oxygenated blood to flow more easily in your body. Your tissues will see an increase in blood flow. This will also help with sensitivity and promote natural lubrication in the body. Applying CBD cream on the skin will reduce mental stress and anxiety.
Recommended Reading: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure
Best Cbd For Heart Health
CBD comes in many different forms, including oils and tinctures, edibles, topicals, and vaporizers. Taking CBD oil sublingually is an easy way to enjoy the benefits. Using sublingual oils tends to work faster and produce stronger results than other edible products, such as gummies.
Vaping CBD is a fast way of delivering CBD into your system, but it is not recommended for individuals with heart disease. Vaping is associated with lung damage, and research shows it causes an increased risk in developing cardiovascular disease.
There are a number of CBD types to choose from. Understanding these differences can help you choose which type is best for your needs. These types include:
- Isolate: CBD is the only cannabinoid contained in the product.
- Full-spectrum: Contains multiple naturally occurring cannabis plant extracts, including terpenes, other cannabinoids, and up to 0.3% THC.
- Broad: Contains CBD and other components/cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, but does not contain any THC.
The availability of these products varies from state to state, particularly for products that contain THC.
If youre just starting off with CBD, try a small dose first. Watch for any side effects. If you wish, you can slowly increase your dosage until you find the dosage that is right for you.
How Much Cbd Oil To Take To Lower Blood Pressure
By Gleb Oleinik | last updated August 28, 2021
Medically reviewed by
Anecdotal reports claim that CBD oil can lower blood pressure.
Early clinical research reports similar findings, which is great for anyone suffering from hypertension. But one question remains how much do you need to take to get the effect?
Available human studies used very large doses of pure CBD. Thankfully, you dont need to take that much to get a benefit, especially if youre using a full-spectrum product.
Read on to learn how much CBD oil you should take to lower your blood pressure, the research evidence, and other tips.
Don’t Miss: Does Vodka Raise Blood Pressure
Risk Factors Due To Underlying Conditions
As stated above, a problem in one system produces a ripple effect in others. Several health conditions eventually cause increased strain on the cardiovascular system resulting in heart disease or high blood pressure.
- Adrenal Diseases or Tumors
- Sleep Apnea
- Thyroid Disorders
Someone with these risk factors needs to address them early to prevent complications. Likewise, they should not embrace lifestyles that could worsen the condition.
Lower Blood Pressure With Cbd Oil
Lower blood pressure with CBD oil?
Despite Parks statement that there are numerous causes of high blood pressure, CBD oil seems to lower blood pressure brought on by stress and anxiety. Her explanation was that when stress hormones are released, blood pressure rises.
High levels of cortisol can contribute to increased blood pressure. Park stated that CBD reduces cortisol levels and dilates blood vessels, allowing more blood flow and resulting in lowered blood pressure.
This study showed that taking 300 mg and 600 mg of CBD oil resulted in a significant reduction in cortisol production in volunteers compared to those who took a placebo.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation published a study by British doctor Khalid Jadoon in 2017 that examined the effect of 600 mg of CBD oil administered to subjects and compared with a placebo of nine healthy volunteers. According to the results, acute CBD administration decreased resting blood pressure in comparison to placebo dosing.
In a series of stress tests, the patients were given 600 mg of CBD, which caused their blood pressure to fall more than in the control group. Its astonishing but true: cannabidiol reduced patients blood pressure, whether the patients were at rest or under stress.
Despite the small sample size of these studies, there are promising results. More research is necessary to determine if CBD is effective for cardiovascular disorders.
Read Also: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure
Cbd Oil Side Effect #: Dry Mouth
Ahh the age old struggle with cotton mouth! Dry mouth is a common side-effect of smoking cannabis and the experienced smoker is well aware of this. But when it comes to organic CBD oil, dry mouth can also be a side-effect.
But why?
The unpleasant dry sensation in your mouth is a result of the involvement of your bodys endocannabinoid system in the inhibition of salvia secretion.
This was discovered during a 2006 study, which discovered that both cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 are located in the submandibular glands, which are responsible for the production of salvia.
Once the CB1 and CB2 receptors are activated through the use of cannabidiol, the production of saliva becomes altered. As a result, your mouth begins to feel as dry as the Sahara desert. When experiencing mouth dryness, or better known as cotton mouth, there is no need to worry it simply means youre thirsty!
Does Cbd Affect Ones Heart Rate
CBD contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties that help stabilize the bodys endocannabinoid system. The natural components of CBD oil are very similar to endocannabinoids in the human body, which attach themselves to neurotransmitters and help manage the bodys reactions to feelings of appetite, mood disorders, and especially symptoms of pain and anxiety.
However, studies have shown that there is potential for CBD to reduce risk factors associated with heart disease. High blood pressure is at the top of that list.
A study in 2017 asked for a handful of volunteers to subject themselves to stressful situations in order to increase their blood pressure rates. Doctors then prescribed half of the participants a dose of CBD oil and the other half received a placebo. Blood pressure was reduced in patients who received the CBD dosage as opposed to those who received the placebo.
Also Check: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure
Tips To Combat Increased Parkinsons Tremors
First off, if you or a loved one is diagnosed with Parkinsons disease you should first consult with a doctor before starting CBD treatment. We also recommend starting out with smaller doses when beginning treatment with CBD.
Although unlikely, if you or a loved one notice the level of tremors increasing after consuming cannabidiol, reducing the dosage amount should help to minimize this potential side effect.
Avoiding The Side Effects
With the above possible side effects in mind, you may feel dissuaded from trying CBD oil while on blood pressure medication. On the other hand, you might also consider using CBD oil on its own to manage hypertension. Amongst other benefits, CBD oil has been shown to reduce blood pressure by relieving anxiety, reducing stress, and widening blood vessels.
CBD oils anti-anxiety and stress-relieving properties encourage a lower heart rate, which ultimately reduces blood pressure. CBD oils ability to dilate blood vessels allows for easier blood flow in arteries with plaque build-up, which also reduces the symptoms of hypertension. In fact, a 2017 study found that a single dose of cannabidiol significantly lowered the blood pressure of test subjects both when at rest and in stressful conditions.
In a cumulative 2017 review of numerous studies on cannabidiols effect on blood flow, it was concluding that CBD may be used as a treatment for various cardiovascular disorders, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke. It is important to mention that the majority of these results were found in animal studies and more clinical research is needed in humans. Still, the findings are promising.
You May Like: Onions And Blood Pressure
How Long Will It Take For Cbd To Work And How Much Do I Need
The answers to these questions arent exactly cut and dry. The reason is that people react differently to CBD. It is not a one size fits all formula.
If you are using CBD to help with blood pressure then we recommend trying CBD oil. For most people, CBD oil is the most potent and effective way to experience CBD. Ingesting CBD oil orally allows it to interact with your endocannabinoid system .
When using CBD oil we have found that it is most effective when you place it under your tongue and hold it there for 30-90 seconds. You can play with the timing as people report different effects depending on how long they keep it under their tongue. Most people start to feel the effects of the CBD within 15-45 minutes.
Does Marijuana Lower Or Raise Blood Pressure
To answer this question, we should focus on two of the primary cannabinoids present in cannabis: cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol . Both may exert an influence on blood pressure levels.
Dr. Bonni Goldstein, a medical adviser to Weedmaps and the director of Canna-Centers in Lawndale, California, outlined the potential effects of THC on blood pressure:
THC can affect blood pressure depending on the dose, the route of administration, a person’s experience with THC, and a person’s underlying health. Healthy volunteers that took THC had an increase in heart rate and decrease in blood pressure. In studies where people used THC while lying down, they had elevated blood pressure. When they stood up, their blood pressure dropped and they experienced low blood pressure.
These sudden drops in blood pressure, also known as white outs or green outs, may indeed be linked to cannabis use. Dr. Melanie Bone, a board-certified OB-GYN and cannabis specialist who practices in West Palm Beach, Florida, told Weedmaps that “cannabis may cause a drop in blood pressure on standing known as postural hypotension.” This type of drop in blood pressure is not desirable, as it can cause vertigo and even fainting. So, when we talk about “lowering blood pressure,” we do not necessarily consider that effect beneficial to health.
You May Like: Does Cholesterol Raise Blood Pressure
Does Cbd Oil Help With Blood Pressure
Based on current research, there is not enough data to say that using CBD oil for high blood pressure is effective. The data is conflicting, especially in human subjects. Some studies report a change in blood pressure readings while other reports no effect on blood pressure after a single dose of CBD.
If you plan to take CBD oil to treat your high blood pressure, you should talk with your doctor first. If your condition is serious enough, you may need to take medications. However, certain medications may carry unwanted side effects. Currently, the American Heart Association recommends diet and exercise as the natural approach for managing hypertension and heart disease.
Lifestyle Related Risk Factors
Modern conveniences have made our lives easier. Yet, the cultural shifts caused by these conveniences led to a rise in the controllable risk factors for high blood pressure and heart disease.
- Sedentary Lifestyle
- Excessive Alcohol Use
- Smoking
Each of the factors listed above contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease in some way. Obesity increases the distance blood must travel, stress puts your system into overdrive, and others constrict blood vessels. All these different reactions increase the load placed on the heart and damage to arteries and veins.
The insidious thing is, many of these risk factors can set off a chain reaction that causes other problems. For example, a sedentary lifestyle with a high salt diet and frequent or heavy alcohol consumption can cause obesity. Chronic stress can increase cravings for salty, fatty, or sugary foods, lower your motivation to work out, and increase the temptation to turn to tobacco or alcohol for relief.
Ultimately, one bad factor can result in someone completing the entire list!
Anecdotal evidence claims CBD oil benefits cardiovascular health by helping individuals get their stress response under control. By reducing stress hormones and the bodys physical reaction to stress, the chain reaction is stopped before it gets going, thus reducing the controllable risk factors.
Studies are still in the early stages, but several are finding evidence backing up these user experiences.
You May Like: Spicy Food High Blood Pressure
Cbd Effects On Blood Pressure And Hypertension
Many people use the terms âhypertensionâ and âhigh blood pressureâ synonymously. This happens so frequently that many believe that they are, in fact, the same thing. Essentially, they are not wrong â but there is one major differentiating factor between the two.
High blood pressure is a term that is typically used to refer to a potential side-effect or symptom that is directly stemming from another ailment. Hypertension, however, refers to perpetual high blood pressure. It is possible to have hypertension for years without even realizing it.
Unfortunately, this does not make the damage to oneâs heart any less real. Despite a lack of symptoms, high blood pressure could still be causing damage to your heart and blood vessels without you even knowing! There are two different types of high blood pressure:
Primary hypertension: This type of hypertension is hard to pinpoint because the cause is usually unknown. This condition simply progresses over time.
Secondary hypertension: This is a form of high blood pressure that is linked to another condition. It typically has a sudden onset and has the potential to spike even higher than someone with primary hypertension. Some knowns conditions that are connected to hypertension are:
- Thyroid problems
- Illegal narcotics and certain medications like pain relievers and birth control
The Link Between Cannabis And Hypertension Treatment
It is common knowledge that oneâs endocannabinoid system plays a pivotal role in regulating and maintaining many key physiological functions, including cardiovascular function. The endocannabinoid system naturally produces chemicals that behave in the same manner as the cannabinoids that make up the cannabis plant. Research suggests that anandamide is capable of relaxing blood vessels by allowing blood to flow more freely. A separate study published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism supports these claims by concluding âendocannabinoids tonically suppress cardiac contractility in hypertension targeting the endocannabinoid system offers novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of hypertension.â
To Conclude
Cannabidiol is the most well researched cannabinoid to date and is known as âthe medical compoundâ for its medicinal and therapeutic application. It can be used not only as a way to combat high blood pressure, but for a number of other ailments as well, including: cancer, epilepsy, Parkinsonâs, and many more. The United States Federal Government has even patented CBD as a neuroprotectant and antioxidant.
Also Check: Omron Bp785 Calibration
General Tips For Shopping For Cbd
Whether youre buying a CBD product for high blood pressure or any other health condition, its necessary to do some research beforehand.
Thats because the CBD market is full of low-quality products that contain too little CBD or might be contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals, and other harmful substances.
Here are the top three considerations to keep in mind to help you make an informed choice.
Comparing Cbd And Thc
CBD comes from cannabis and is naturally found in hemp plants. CBD is one of more than 100 cannabinoids that occur naturally within the plant. This compound is also commonly used to produce CBD hemp oil supplements.
Hemp seed oil is produced by extracting the oil from the seeds of the hemp plant itself. This oil is abundant in nutrients, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it ideal for digestion. Although some people refer to hemp extract as hemp oil, the term hemp oil is synonymous with the term hemp seed oil.
Chemical compounds in cannabis, called cannabinoids, have shown various potential benefits by activating the bodys endocannabinoid system , which is involved in regulating a variety of functions including sleep, appetite, pain and immune system response.
The body produces endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in the nervous system.
The medicinal efficacy of cannabis can be optimized by incorporating the various cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes that are intrinsic components of cannabis plants.
CBD is non-psychoactive, contrasting with THC , another primary cannabinoid. THC is the most significant factor contributing to the high associated with using cannabis.
Consuming CBD without any THC does not produce those effects, which means that nearly everyone should be able to function as they usually do when taking CBD.
Also Check: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure