Stevia is an herb that originated in Brazil and Paraguay. It's also known as the sweet herb of Paraguay or honey leaf. Stevia is grown commercially in Central America, Israel, Thailand and China for the leaves that contain compounds that can be used as sugar substitutes. Stevia may also help to reduce high blood pressure and act as anti-inflammatory agent.
Stevia
Stevia is extracted from the stevia rebaudiana plant. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, its active ingredients are steviosides, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulcoside A. It's also rich in dietary minerals. Stevia has been used historically for treatment of diabetes in South America and to control fertility. It's available in the United States as a dietary supplement and is used to make some non-nutritive sweeteners.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the force of the blood flow in your arteries is too strong, which may lead to cardiovascular problems. According to MayoClinic.com, there's no identifiable cause, but in some cases, high blood pressure is due to kidney disease, adrenal gland problems, blood vessel defects, medications or illegal drugs. You may not feel any symptoms, and you may have high blood pressure for many years before it's detected. Your doctor can examine you to determine if you have high blood pressure.
Stevioside and High Blood Pressure
According to a research article published in 2010 in "Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry," studies show stevioside capsules given three times per day decreased both diastolic and systolic blood pressure after three months of therapy in one study, and another study showed effectiveness continued for two years. Two other stevioside studies showed no effect on blood pressure. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, stevioside may act as a calcium channel antagonist, similar to verapamil, a prescription medication.
Side Effects
The "Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry" study says stevia an d stevioside is generally well tolerated; however, reported adverse effects include nausea and a feeling of abdominal fullness, muscle pain, dizziness and weakness. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports stevia may interact with verapamil and diabetes medications. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, speak with your doctor before taking stevia extracts or stevioside supplements.
