Turmeric is a spice used in many parts of the world. It is one of the main ingredients in curry powder.
Turmeric also has a long history of application in Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda is a practice rooted in ancient Indian medicine dating back more than 3,000 years.
As with many other medications, though, it is important to consult your doctor about taking blood pressure medicine alongside plant extracts. This includes turmeric extract.
What to know about turmeric
Turmeric is orange-brown, yellow, or reddish-yellow in color when in plant form. Once it's dried and ground, it turns into a soft, fine, and bright yellow-orange powder. This color comes from curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric.
Curcumin is well-known for its health benefits. It reduces inflammation and neutralizes free radicals while boosting the function of other antioxidants.
Owing to its health benefits, curcumin is commonly accepted in medicine and is available as a supplement. If you are taking a curcumin supplement, though, talk to your doctor to see if it is safe for you to use it alongside other treatments.
Curcumin and blood pressure
High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a chronic condition that can lead to several health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, strokes, eye conditions, and kidney failure.
Some studies document that curcumin can promote the widening of blood vessels, which in turn, increases blood flow and reduces blood pressure. Due to this characteristic, it has additive effects if taken with antihypertensives.
According to one study, turmeric extract curcumin was found to prevent the development of hypertension due to its effect on specific cells that are found in the inner walls of your heart and blood vessels.
Effects of curcumin supplements on your health
Some people take curcumin supplements to treat migraines, memory loss, and more. Turmeric may not react well, though, with some medications, including blood pressure medication. If you take curcumin supplements regularly and in high doses, they can affect your health in a variety of ways.
These include:
Iron malabsorption. Curcumin supplements can suppress iron absorption. That is why they are not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as people who have iron deficiencies.
Hypoglycemia. Turmeric may strengthen the activity of drugs used to control type 2 diabetes, an effect that can increase the risk of low blood sugar.
Gut issues. Other side effects of high doses of curcumin include stomach upset, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea. It can also increase the production of stomach acid when taken with an antacid like Omeprazole.
Blood-thinning. High doses of curcumin could also have a blood-thinning effect and increase the risk of dangerous bleeding. This is especially likely if you take it with prescribed anticoagulants or blood thinners like aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), or warfarin (Jantoven).
The recommended dose of turmeric is 500 milligrams when it is taken daily with food. Even so, the right dose for you depends on your overall health. The risk of side effects is low, but you should stop taking curcumin supplements if you start noticing negative effects.
Cooking with turmeric shouldn’t cause problems, as the levels of curcumin concentration are typically low.
SLIDESHOW
How to Lower Blood Pressure: Exercise and Tips See SlideshowHealth benefits of turmeric
Turmeric is often used in curries in India, served in tea and other drinks in Japan and Korea, used as a cosmetic aid in Thailand, included as a colorant in China, and applied as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent in Pakistan and Malaysia. In the United States, turmeric is used for all these applications and many more.
Other benefits of turmeric include:
Improving memory. According to a past study, taking 90 milligrams of curcumin twice a day for 18 months was found to enhance memory performance in adults who didn’t have dementia.
Lessening inflammation. Curcumin can be beneficial to people with inflammatory conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Fighting depression. There’s evidence that curcumin could be as effective as fluoxetine (Prozac) in lessening the symptoms of depression. In addition, it can increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, chemicals that your brain uses to regulate mood and other body functions.
Reducing pain. There’s evidence that turmeric extract could potentially reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis, a chronic joint condition. Perhaps that’s why turmeric has deep roots in both Chinese traditional medicine and Ayurveda for treating arthritis.
Curcumin is not the only supplement you should be concerned about if you’re taking blood pressure medications. Some supplements can raise your blood pressure, and others can interfere with medications that are intended to lower your blood pressure.
If you’re on blood pressure medications, talk to your doctor before taking any of the following supplements:
- Arnica (Arnica montana)
- Ephedra (ma-huang)
- Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius and Panax ginseng)
- Guarana (Paullinia cupana)
- Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
These may be herbal supplements, but they aren't necessarily safe just because they're natural.
Health News
- FDA Panel Backs RSV Vaccine for Infants, Some Toddlers
- Seniors: Stay Social, Active for 'Optimal Aging,' Study Shows
- Diabetes Med Metformin Might Help Prevent Long COVID
- Disability a Growing Concern for U.S. Cancer Survivors
- Smoke From Wildfires Is Especially Tough If You Have Asthma. Here’s How to Protect Yourself
More Health News »
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Arthritis-health: “Do Curcumin Supplements Have Drawbacks?”
British Heart Foundation: “Should I be taking turmeric supplements?”
Cleveland Clinic: “7 Health Benefits of Turmeric.”
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology: “Curcumin maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis: randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.”
Foods: “Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health.”
Frontiers in Pharmacology: “Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “What is Ayurveda?”
Mayo Clinic: “Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure.”
Pharmacological Research: “The effect of Curcumin/Turmeric on blood pressure modulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.”
Scientific Reports: “Curcumin Exerts its Anti-hypertensive Effect by Down-regulating the AT1 Receptor in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.”
The Scientific World Journal: “Potentials of Curcumin as an Antidepressant.”
Top Can You Take Turmeric with Blood Pressure Meds Related Articles
artichoke
Artichoke is available over the counter (OTC) as an herbal supplement and is used for medicinal purposes to treat indigestion, lower cholesterol, and to protect the liver. Other uses include appetite loss, and gallbladder problems, high blood fat levels (hyperlipidemia), high blood pressure, hepatitis C, and irritable bowel syndrome. Common side effects of artichoke include gas (flatulence), upset stomach, diarrhea, and allergic reactions. Consult with your doctor before taking artichoke supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can High Blood Pressure Hurt My Eyes?
Unfortunately, yes. Suffering from untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure for a long time can be detrimental to your eyes. Several eye diseases are directly or indirectly caused by high blood pressure (hypertension).
Can You Take Turmeric if You Take Blood Pressure Medicine?
Turmeric is one of the most used spices in Asian cuisine. This yellow spice has been hailed for its healing properties for centuries. A turmeric latte is touted for its myriad health benefits. Turmeric contains several anti-inflammatory compounds collectively called curcuminoids.Drugs: Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist about Your Drugs
Important information about your drugs should be reviewed prior to taking any prescription drug. Side effects, drug interactions, warnings and precauctions, dosage, what the drug is used for, what to do if you miss a dose, how the drug is to be stored, and generic vs. brand names.garlic
Garlic is an edible bulb from the plant Allium sativum. Its medicinal properties may inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and slow down the blood clotting process. Garlic may be used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), high blood fat levels (hyperlipidemia), preventing coronary artery disease, enhancing circulation, preventing cancer, menstrual disorders, and other infections. Common side effects of garlic include bad breath, body odor, nausea, vomiting, gas (flatulence), heartburn, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upset, gastrointestinal irritation and burning, bleeding, nasal inflammation (rhinitis), and others.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease in which pressure within the arteries of the body is elevated. About 75 million people in the US have hypertension (1 in 3 adults), and only half of them are able to manage it. Many people do not know that they have high blood pressure because it often has no has no warning signs or symptoms.
Systolic and diastolic are the two readings in which blood pressure is measured. The American College of Cardiology released new guidelines for high blood pressure in 2017. The guidelines now state that blood normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. If either one of those numbers is higher, you have high blood pressure.
The American Academy of Cardiology defines high blood pressure slightly differently. The AAC considers 130/80 mm Hg. or greater (either number) stage 1 hypertension. Stage 2 hypertension is considered 140/90 mm Hg. or greater.
If you have high blood pressure you are at risk of developing life threatening diseases like stroke and heart attack.
REFERENCE: CDC. High Blood Pressure. Updated: Nov 13, 2017.
High Blood Pressure & Body
High blood pressure puts you at risk for a number of other conditions. Here's what to look out for.
What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? Symptoms, Treatments
What causes high blood pressure (hypertension)? What is normal blood pressure? Know the warning signs and symptoms of high blood pressure. Read about high blood pressure medications, diet, and long-term treatments.
Things to Know About High Blood Pressure Treatment
High blood pressure (hypertension) means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Treatment for high blood pressure include lifestyle modifications (alcohol, smoking, coffee, salt, diet, exercise), drugs and medications such as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), alpha blockers, clonidine, minoxidil, and Exforge.
Hypertension: Worst Foods for High Blood Pressure
Diagnosed with high blood pressure or trying to avoid it? Stay away from these foods.
Is Turmeric Good for Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory joint condition. There is no evidence of effectiveness of turmeric in people with ankylosing spondylitis. However, it seems to work to reduce the pain and severity of signs and symptoms in people with arthritis.
Is Turmeric OK to Take With High Blood Pressure?
Turmeric is an ancient remedy, a perennial plant in the ginger family. Turmeric may help lower blood pressure, but talk to your doctor if you take medication to make sure it doesn't interact with it.midodrine
Midodrine is a medication used to treat orthostatic hypotension, also known as postural hypotension, a condition that causes a drop in blood pressure when standing up from sitting or lying down. Common side effects of midodrine include abnormal skin sensations (paresthesia) including in the scalp, goosebumps (piloerection), painful urination (dysuria), increased urinary frequency and urgency, impaired urination, urinary retention, itching (pruritus) including in the scalp, supine hypertension, increase in systolic blood pressure, chills, abdominal or other pain, and skin rash. Use with caution in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.vasopressin
Synthetically produced vasopressin is used to increase the blood pressure in adults who are in a state of severely low blood pressure (hypotension) from vasodilatory shock. Common side effects of vasopressin include hemorrhagic shock, decrease in platelets, intractable bleeding, right heart failure, rapid irregular rhythm of atria (atrial fibrillation), slow heart rate (bradycardia), reduced blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardial ischemia), lower limb ischemia, abdominal (mesenteric) ischemia, ischemic lesions in the skin, increased bilirubin levels, acute kidney insufficiency, low sodium levels (hyponatremia), abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, bronchial constriction, and others. Consult your doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.
What Are the Health Benefits of Turmeric?
Turmeric is a root closely related to ginger, sometimes referred to as Indian saffron. Health benefits of turmeric may include improvements in type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, certain cancers, digestive disorders, respiratory infections, allergies, liver disease and depression.
What Time of Day Is Blood Pressure Highest?
Your blood pressure follows a pattern, rising a while before you wake up. It is the highest at midday and tends to drop in the evening or late afternoon.
Which Medications Should Not Be Taken With Turmeric?
Turmeric is a blood thinner. So if you are on other blood-thinning medications, you shouldn’t take turmeric or turmeric supplements as doing so may increase your risk of bleeding and bruising or even make the other medications less effective.Who Should Not Use Turmeric?
Turmeric is a spice mainly used in Asian cuisine. It has antiseptic and antioxidant benefits. People who should not take turmeric include those with gallbladder problems, bleeding disorders, diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), infertility, iron deficiency, liver disease, hormone-sensitive conditions and arrhythmia. Pregnant women and those who are going to undergo surgery should not use turmeric.