It’s the new Stone Age for CBD or cannabidiol. Since President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD has been noted as an alternative treatment or relief from everything from anxiety to inflammation, from cancer to high blood pressure, and many other health conditions.

It is no wonder that CBD is slowly yet swiftly becoming a cure-all compound for modern-day people. However, there are still a good number of people who are still hesitant to buy CBD for blood pressure because they wonder if CBD oil is just another disguised snake oil, or could it potentially lower blood pressure?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects 1 in every three over 20 years, which is equivalent to 33%, and 66% of adults in the mid-60s or older suffer from hypertension. In the US alone, tens of millions suffer from high blood pressure.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Hypertension is a dynamic, vital sign that can be measured and observed in all humans. How much blood the heart is pumping, how hard your heart pumps, and the resistance to blood flow in your arteries influence your blood pressure.

High blood pressure occurs when the heart pumps higher amounts of blood and the arteries narrow. Hence, high blood pressure or hypertension causes the narrowing and blocking of the blood vessels, affecting heart health and increasing the risk of heart failure.

Doctors give blood pressure readings in two numbers. The first number indicates systolic blood pressure; it is the pressure caused when the heart contracts and releases blood. Diastolic blood pressure is the second number. This is the pressure when your heart is relaxed and filled with blood.

In the blood pressure reading, the systolic blood pressure is indicated over the diastolic blood pressure number, like 140/75. According to the American Heart Association, a normal blood pressure reading for an adult should be 120/80.

The AHA refers to hypertension as a “silent killer” because you could have high blood pressure for years and not know. After all, there were no indications. High blood pressure doesn’t quite exhibit symptoms; even when the blood readings rise to critically high levels, you never quite see it coming.

However, some people may experience headaches, shortness of breath, or nosebleeds. However, these symptoms only occur when hypertension reaches a life-threatening stage, and they are not specific. Luckily, doctors can still detect the damage to the blood vessels and heart.

Unregulated or undetected hypertension intensifies the risk of severe health problems like heart attacks and strokes. It takes several years for hypertension to develop, and it affects almost everyone eventually. It is primarily a critical health issue for older people.

CBD and Blood Pressure

Doctors advise that high blood pressure can be lowered naturally by reducing salt intake, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and stress. One can also lower blood pressure by eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly.

Doctors prescribe medications like ACE-inhibitors and calcium channel blockers to help lower blood pressure. However, these medications cause side effects like dizziness, headaches, swollen ankles, and constipation.

There has been some evidence linking CBD to lowering blood pressure. For most people, CBD is a much safer and natural option because it has fewer side effects than hypertension prescription medications.

CBD is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid found in the hemp or marijuana plant. CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis Sativa plant and diluted in hemp or coconut oil. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD doesn’t make you high. In fact, most CBD users report that CBD makes them calm and relaxed, among other positive effects.

CBD oil should have less than 0.3% THC for legal use. It is commonly used as a supplement or treatment for inflammation, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and more. People suffering from mental disorders have also resulted in using CBD.

Using the same mechanism, emerging evidence shows that CBD could also treat high blood pressure.

Can CBD Oil Lower Blood Pressure?

Yes. However, according to 2020 studies, CBD Oil works in different ways to reduce hypertension. CBD affects a few functions in the body that have been linked to playing a direct role in your blood pressure levels. Some of the factors that contribute to hypertension are anxiety, stress, insomnia, and fatigue. Hence CBD indirectly helps hypertension by:

Easing Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common catalyst for rapid heart palpitations, which leaves the anxious person at risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

The National Institute for Drug Abuse showed that CBD could help reduce anxiety in their animal studies. According to the study, symptoms that tend to accompany anxiety, such as rapid heart rate and hypertension, improved with the use of CBD.

Analgesic Properties

CBD is common for pain relief because it acts on pain receptors in the brain to help relieve pain. Acute pain is also one of the causes of high blood pressure, according to the National Institute of Health, hence the pain-relieving properties of this compound helps decrease blood pressure as well.

Helps Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation not only occurs in the joints, but it also occurs in the blood vessels in the brain and heart. According to research, CBD can help reduce inflammation in your heart and the brain’s blood vessels. That’s why CBD is referred to as a vasorelaxant.

Its anti-inflammatory properties will help lower blood pressure by improving your blood flow freely through your heart, veins, and arteries.

Improves Sleep

Since CBD helps reduce stress and anxiety, the quality of your sleep is also improved. By regulating your adrenals, CBD oil helps beat fatigue and helps your body reset to a state of balance instead of constant stress. Improved sleep increases overall health.

Bottom Line

CBD does help people with hypertension lower their risk of strokes and heart diseases, a dose at a time. By targeting areas such as pain, anxiety, stress, and sleep, CBD can help control your blood pressure.

However, we recommend that you consult your doctor before you start using CBD for high blood pressure to make sure you don’t suffer potential drug interactions, especially if you are also on blood thinners. Your doctor will be instrumental in recommending the right dose for you and monitoring your blood pressure while you are on CBD oil and help you get more options.