What Workout Supplements Can I Take With High Blood Pressure?
Pre-workout supplements often contain stimulants like caffeine that can raise your blood pressure levels, which could potentially be dangerous if you already have high blood pressure. But some ingredients can actually help decrease it.
These medications include Yohimbe, Synephrine and L-citrulline which have all been shown to reduce blood pressure by increasing vasodilation and increasing production of nitric oxide.
Caffeine
Many pre-workout supplements contain stimulants like caffeine and guarana that may contribute to high blood pressure due to how they work: by increasing heart rate and vasoconstriction of blood vessels causing increased pressure in your arteries, raising blood pressure. If possible, talk with your physician first before conducting trials until finding something suitable.
Some individuals with high blood pressure can use pre workout supplements safely; it’s important to speak to their physician first in order to ensure the ingredients are suitable. It may be more beneficial if a supplement that contains no stimulants is chosen as this will help keep blood pressure under control and lower levels.
Preworkout supplements with high blood pressure are both dangerous and potentially beneficial, offering an easy way to increase energy and get you into the gym. But it is crucial that you be aware of their potential side effects, always checking labels before consuming, as well as monitoring your heart rate during a workout and not taking in too much caffeine.
Caffeine is often the star ingredient in pre-workout supplements. This stimulant stimulates your body, increases stamina and provides an euphoric feeling; but, if you suffer from hypertension it’s essential to limit how much caffeine you consume to maintain control over blood pressure levels.
If you want a pre-workout that won’t increase blood pressure or heart rate, try selecting a product free from stimulants that contains only healthful ingredients such as ashwagandha, beta alanine, reishi mushroom extract and CoQ10. Such combinations will improve endurance and strength without increasing blood pressure or heart rate.
Use a pre-workout supplement with amino acids like L-citrulline. These amino acids help increase nitric oxide production, helping lower your blood pressure by widening blood vessels. Furthermore, it’s found in food such as eggs and red meat!
Yohimbe
Yohimbe, a stimulant found in some pre-workout supplements, should be avoided by those with high blood pressure due to its potential to raise both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, trigger an adrenaline response which increases anxiety and nervousness as well as trigger an adrenaline response in response to workout stressors such as intense physical training or stressful social environments. Furthermore, taking this drug may interact with multiple medications including ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, SSRI drugs MAOIs stimulant medications or stimulant/caffeinated medicines which could further exacerbate your blood pressure issues and increase anxiety and nervousness levels significantly.
Yohimbine is an alkaloid found in Pausinystalia yohimbe and Rauwolfia serpentina plants, where it acts on alpha-2 adrenoceptors that regulate cardiovascular system and central nervous system functions, while having an intense stimulatory effect that increases adrenaline levels, increasing energy expenditure and helping burn fat more quickly. Yohimbine can be consumed either via bark extract or HCl capsules.
Yohimbe has long been taken for its ability to enhance athletic performance. Yohimbe can boost adrenaline and energy levels, helping prevent fatigue during and after exercise sessions, increase blood flow to muscles for muscle building purposes and endurance, or help people lose weight faster by increasing how much fat their bodies burn for energy.
Yohimbe needs more research in order to fully comprehend its effects on the body. Recent studies suggest it could aid weight loss by blocking alpha-2 adrenoceptors in fat cells and helping your body break down stored fat as fuel, and might treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to penis and vagina. Yohimbe may also increase nerve impulses involved with orgasm production – two benefits often used together for stimulating sexual excitement or alleviating impotence symptoms. It can improve circulation while treating vascular conditions – although in rare cases it could raise blood pressure dangerously high.
Synephrine
Pre workout supplements have gained in popularity due to their ability to give an energy boost before exercise, improve heart health and increase oxygen in the bloodstream. Unfortunately, they can also raise blood pressure. This could be caused by their ingredients like caffeine or stimulants increasing heart rate and blood pressure – something especially dangerous for people with high blood pressure.
Bitter orange is a natural plant that contains sympathomimetic compounds such as synephrine, octopamine and N-methyltyramine; popular ingredients in dietary supplements that enhance energy levels, increase focus and mental alertness and enhance performance. It can help increase energy levels as well as focus and mental alertness for increased focus and improved performance. Though stimulant in nature, caffeine does not appear to raise human systolic blood pressure significantly; instead it has been reported to increase diastolic pressure and heart rate. 15 young healthy adults participated in a clinical trial utilizing Nature’s Way Bitter Orange Dietary Supplement Extract Standardized at 6% Synephrine or placebo and their blood pressure, heart rate and diastolic/systolic measurements were monitored both prior to taking the product and every hour for 6 hours post administration of either product.
Results of the study demonstrated that acute administration of synephrine increased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels; though not significant, its effect lasted 3 hours. The authors of the study suggested it might be beneficial to decrease concentrations of this substance in dietary supplements, and recommended conducting further research on its safety in humans. Researchers also recommended conducting a long-duration trial to ascertain whether synephrine was safe in treating hypertension. Furthermore, it would be advisable for those with high blood pressure to carefully consider any pre-workout supplements they take prior to doing so. Always choose a pre-workout supplement without stimulants and contains amino acids like L-citrulline that may help lower blood pressure by improving vasodilation and nitric oxide production, thus helping prevent an unexpected rise in blood pressure when taken prior to exercising. This will prevent an unexpected rise in your blood pressure from taking pre-workout supplements.
L-citrulline
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid produced by your kidneys and converted to L-arginine and then nitric oxide by your body. Nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator to relax blood vessels, increasing blood flow to muscles for improved workout performance and increasing muscle endurance. You’ll often find pre-workout products containing citrulline; however, too much could lower blood pressure unnecessarily and interfere with antihypertensive medications.
L-citrulline, an amino acid that promotes increased levels of nitric oxide and blood flow to muscles, can also help prevent exercise-induced fatigue. According to one study, researchers gave 12 male taekwondo athletes L-citrulline/L-arginine combinations prior to training for three martial arts matches; those taking these supplements experienced less exhaustion and performed better than those given placebo pills.
Creatine, another common ingredient found in pre-workout supplements, can increase muscle mass and high-intensity exercise capacity while simultaneously leading to water retention and weight gain. Unfortunately, however, creatine can also cause water retention and cause allergic reactions; additionally it has even been known to lead to elevated blood pressure in some individuals.
If you have high blood pressure, it is advisable to speak to your physician prior to taking pre-workout supplements containing caffeine, yohimbe or synephrine as these ingredients could increase your blood pressure. To safeguard against potential stimulant effects of pre-workout supplements and ensure you drink plenty of water during exercise sessions.
Exercise can help lower high blood pressure, but it’s still essential to monitor your heart rate and take medications as prescribed by your physician. Certain supplements, like those containing creatine or yohimbe, may increase both your blood pressure and heart rate; but some pre-workouts don’t contain these ingredients either; in addition, certain foods (potassium and magnesium-rich foods in particular) may help reduce it further; lastly it would be wise to consider taking an over-the-counter blood pressure medication should this become necessary.
