Key takeaways:
- The study examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in individuals with untreated hypertension.
- Participants were given oral CBD (150 mg every 8 hours) or a placebo for 24 hours and had their blood pressure and related metrics measured.
- CBD significantly reduced arterial stiffness and blood pressure over the 24 hours, with larger reductions observed during sleep.
A new study published by Croatian researchers found that CBD may lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness in people with untreated hypertension.
In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 16 volunteers (eight women and eight men) with untreated hypertension were given either pure oral CBD (150 mg every 8 hours) or a placebo over 24 hours. As this was a cross-over study, all participants got the chance to try both treatments.
The researchers then monitored their 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, arterial stiffness, heart rate variability, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, physical activity, and sleep.
There was no difference in physical activity, sleep patterns, and heart rate variability were similar between the groups. However, those who took CBD experienced significant reductions in arterial stiffness, systolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure over the 24 hours, with bigger reductions during sleep. The study also found that oral CBD was safe and well-tolerated.
The researchers concluded that “acute dosing of cannabidiol over 24 h can lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness in individuals with untreated hypertension. The clinical implications and safety of longer-term cannabidiol usage in treated and untreated hypertension remains to be established.”
Several older studies have reported similar findings, so it’s great to see more high-quality evidence for CBD’s blood pressure benefits.
Sources
- Dragun, Tanja, et al. “The Influence of Oral Cannabidiol on 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Untreated Hypertension: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Pilot Study.” Advances in Therapy (2023): 1-17.
- Jadoon, Khalid A., Garry D. Tan, and Saoirse E. O’Sullivan. “A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study.” JCI insight 2.12 (2017).
Gleb is a freelance writer from Vancouver, Canada specializing in CBD and cannabis. He’s read thousands of studies on CBD and other supplements, helping him translate complex science into plain language. Gleb has tried and reviewed dozens of CBD brands and products, written third-party testing reports, and knows the CBD industry inside and out. When not writing, he likes to kickbox, travel, and tell everyone how awesome intermittent fasting is.
