High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is a common problem. It is usually treated with lifestyle changes and medicines prescribed by your doctor, but people have also been looking into whether CBD can be used to lower blood pressure.
What is hypertension (high blood pressure)?
The technical term for high blood pressure, hypertension, is when the pressure in your blood vessels is unusually high. It can be hard to detect, and there are not usually any noticeable symptoms, but it can lead to more serious problems if left untreated, such as heart attacks and strokes.
It is advised that you have your blood pressure checked regularly to determine its levels and see if you are at any risk. Adults over 40 specifically are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.
Your blood pressure measurement records the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body and the resistance to blood flow in your blood vessels. An ideal blood pressure is thought to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while high blood pressure is thought to be 140/90mmHg or higher.
It can be hard to determine the exact cause of high blood pressure, but it is thought that certain factors will put you at an increased risk. These include: being 65 or older, being overweight, drinking alcohol or coffee in high quantities, smoking, and having disturbed sleep.
It is also thought that suffering from long-term stress could be associated with increased blood pressure and that managing stress levels could help to keep blood pressure down. This is especially true because stress has knock-on effects such as sleep problems and the development of unhealthy habits.
How is hypertension treated?
In terms of treating high blood pressure, doctors will usually recommend you to make lifestyle changes such as eating healthily, exercising more frequently and stopping smoking. However, some people do need to be treated with medication.
Can CBD be used to lower blood pressure?
CBD is widely believed to have calming properties, which is why people use it for anxiety and stress relief. Since an increase in blood pressure can be exacerbated by long-term stress, it seems that CBD could be a good option in decreasing this.
One study carried out in 2017 found that acute administration of CBD reduced the resting blood pressure response to stress in nine healthy male volunteers. The authors of the study recommended that further research be done to establish whether CBD could have a role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
It would still be important to combine it with the lifestyle changes recommended by your doctor, but it seems there is potential for CBD to be used in the lowering of blood pressure. We look forward to further research in this area, to see whether CBD can lower blood pressure and, in turn, have an impact in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
How to use CBD for blood pressure
If you are already taking medications to treat high blood pressure or other medical conditions, it is important to speak to your doctor before introducing CBD because some drugs can interact with CBD and cause adverse side effects.
In terms of the best CBD format for blood pressure, we would recommend trying a CBD oil as this is taken orally and affects the body as a whole. With CBD oil drops, you simply place the required number under your tongue, hold them there for a short while and then swallow. This allows the CBD more direct access to your bloodstream.
We hope this article on CBD and blood pressure has been useful. For more like this, you can take a look at our blog.
